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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823054">You Better Watch Out...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakturn/pseuds/teakturn'>teakturn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You Better Watch Out... [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Black Panther (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>25 days of Christmas challenge, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Black Panther AU, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Erik Has Feelings, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Jealous Erik, Jealousy, Multi, POV Multiple, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:39:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>41,721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakturn/pseuds/teakturn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fallon and Erik were best friends once. Now, thirteen years later they might as well have been strangers. Erik wants to fix that. Too bad Fallon's fiancé is in his way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Erik Killmonger &amp; Shuri, Erik Killmonger &amp; T'Challa, Erik Killmonger/Fallon King (OC), Erik Killmonger/Original Female Character(s), Erik Killmonger/Original Female Character(s) of Color, Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Ramonda/T'Chaka (Marvel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You Better Watch Out... [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766533</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How could a beautiful tour guide have Erik Stevens so bored? His life’s work as a royal was going well, better than projections had expected to be honest. The latest jewel in his crown was the Los Angeles branch of the Outreach program he’d started with his cousins. It was six years younger than its sister branch in Oakland, but promising. Figuring out why this branch was doing so well should be enough to keep Erik more than occupied. Yet his mind wandered.</p><p>He’d done the unthinkable: get the US to approve his humanitarian efforts within their borders. Erik had earned the right to be happy with his accomplishments. It’s a bittersweet happiness seeing his work pay off. At some point it meant more to him when he hit a new milestone, but it was getting old.</p><p>The LA branch bustled with activity. Children, volunteers, and employees alike moved around Erik with purpose and excitement. Obvious tourists walked around with their faces to the high ornate ceiling.</p><p>This branch reflected the city’s existing architecture while respecting its Wakandan benefactors. The first floor sported tall ceilings, marble floors, and Wakandan mosaics. A mix of American modern style (blocky, cold, sleek) for the meeting rooms and offices. Art Nouveau glass framed ceilings provided natural light.</p><p>Erik hadn’t visited the building since it was a shell. Concrete and steel bones that didn’t match the living reality before his eyes. A bustling crowd filled the building, not surprising for the hour yet promising. Numbers on a page were one thing. Being able to see with his own eyes what his life’s work had led to was better.</p><p>This branch of Erik’s Outreach initiative was doing well. Better than all the others. Putting aside population and location, the LA Branch was a favorite service to the community. So much so, that Erik and T’Challa planned an audit to determine its future. Should they open another location or move this one to a bigger building?</p><p>He should take notes, ask questions of the pretty front desk assistant giving him a tour. What was her name again? She’d purred it while staring with undisguised interest when he came in this morning.</p><p>Erik had no trouble refocusing on her.</p><p>Long legs, rich dark skin free of all imperfections. It was clear why this assistant was the first face you saw when entering the building. Her ass wasn’t bad either. Not big, but perky and rounded like a peach. Instead of focusing on her tour, Erik stared at her ass and imagined the things she’d let him do to her. From the looks she sent over her shoulder Erik would bet money it was a very long list.</p><p>The assistant led him to a bank of elevators and turned to him expectantly after pressing the up button. “Do you have questions for me, Your Highness?”</p><p>Erik couldn’t remember the last thing she said, but she didn’t need to know that. With a slow smile, his eyes tracked up and down her body. When his eyes returned to her face Erik said, “If you’ll forgive me, I’d love to hear your name again. When I first saw you I was," His eyes dipped to the cream-colored blouse stretched tight over her full breasts, "Distracted."</p><p>The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. With one hand, Erik gestured for the assistant to go in first. The other hand settled low on her back. High enough to be respectable for the workplace and yet low enough to feel the beginning swell of her ass.</p><p>She jumped at his touch but didn’t move away. A good sign in Erik’s eyes.</p><p>Erik stepped in after her and as the doors slid closed started a silent countdown in his head.</p><p>One, two...</p><p>“My name is Aleesha, Your Highness.”</p><p>Three, four…</p><p>“Aleesha,” Erik repeated. He cataloged the slight shifts in her reflection on the elevator doors. She was chewing her plump bottom lip. Disturbing the gloss there and cementing Erik’s plan to see her later.</p><p>Five, six…</p><p>“I handle front desk operations. If you ever need help to settle in or…” Aleesha pulled a folded sheet of paper from her clipboard and held it out.</p><p>Hiding his surprise, Erik gave Aleesha a generic smile and took the paper. She smiled up at him, lust and interest spelled out on her pretty face. Her boldness shocked Erik silent the rest of the ride.</p><p>That had never happened so fast before. Men as gifted as Erik had it easy, he knew. A tall, handsome black man like himself did not hurt for attention. His family legacy more than set him apart from the men who assumed themselves his peers. But he still had to do more than suggest interest.</p><p>Erik kind of liked the game of meeting someone new. He enjoyed a little back and forth. Something to keep his interest for longer than five minutes. Somehow Aleesha took all the fun out of it and left Erik feeling.</p><p>While Erik grappled with the fact that Aleesha had done the work for him, the elevator doors slid open. The paper went into his breast pocket as Erik gestured yet again for Aleesha to exit first. She slipped out the elevator; her memorized speech flowing as soon as her heels hit the marble floors.</p><p>“And on the fifth floor we have the Events department.”</p><p>Erik followed a second later, his CEO mask in place. For the first time all morning, he paid attention to what she had to say.</p><p>“Thank you for your time, Your Highness,” Aleesha led them to a stop in the center of the lobby. Their steps echoed to the vaulted ceilings. The area was empty aside from them, a doorman by the revolving door, and a family in a waiting area.</p><p>Aleesha continued, “I have to return to my desk, but I know I speak for everyone when I say we are looking forward to your hands-on guidance. We promise to work our hardest to satisfy your needs.”</p><p>Though Alesha’s words sounded polite and sincere. The way she stared at him was anything but. The woman looked hungry. Ravenous, even. For him! Erik wasn’t unaware of how handsome, well spoken, and fit he was. He’d been fine his whole life. Female attention wasn’t anything new.</p><p>But Aleesha’s boldness was a first for him.</p><p>Erik laughed to cover his surprise. His eyes searched for an escape, “Yes, well…” thinking on his feet, Erik twisted his kimoyo beads. A chirpy alert came from his pocket.</p><p>Reaching for his phone, Erik held up one finger, “One second, I have to take this.”</p><p>Aleesha nodded and said in a low voice, “Of course, Your Highness. If you need anything else from me, call. For anything! I keep an open schedule so,” with an awkward wave, Aleesha excused herself back to her desk.</p><p>Erik pressed his phone to his ear and said a little nonsense in Xhosa under his breath. He pretended to pace until there was distance between him and the front desk. Erik found privacy in a glass walled hallway off the lobby.</p><p>Helpful multilingual signs pointed the way to the different offices and bathrooms. Erik ignored them. Sure that Aleesha couldn’t see him, he dropped his phone from his ear and took out the paper she’d given him in the elevator.</p><p>Her name, number, email and Instagram handle written out with a pink glittery pen.</p><p>Was he opposed to a pretty woman giving him her contact info? Hell no! Sure this was outside his usual methods, but an in was an in. Should Erik complain about her forwardness? It definitely wasn’t enough to sap his interest. He should give the girl props for going after what she wanted.</p><p>That decided it. Erik would fuck her, if only to reward that boss ass move she pulled. He’d left his usual string of women back in Bakersfield satisfied but he didn’t have a rotation here in LA. Judging by Aleesha’s boldness, she wouldn’t mind a spot to Erik’s LA list one bit.</p><p>Erik entered her contact details into his phone. He had about four Alicia/Alesha’s in his phone, so he grouped her under LA Rotation. The last time he got his girls messed up, Erik ended up at the wrong woman’s house.</p><p>He still got his nut. But Erik had been looking forward to seeing Neisha, not Nene.</p><p>As if summoned by a silent bell, the hallway filled with children, volunteers, and who knew who else. They spilled forth from sliding glass doors and hustled to their next appointments. The children paid Erik no mind, but the adults who must have worked here eyed him as they passed.</p><p>Volunteers dressed casually while the employees of the Center wore office wear. Erik, in his bespoke Ozwald Boateng suit, stood out among the crowd.</p><p>As people passed and studied him, Erik made note of the faces he saw. Reaching the children of communities like the one he’d grown up in was imperative to the Center’s mission. The children that walked by looked happy and laughed loudly. Volunteers marked by gold lanyards, looked engaged and kind to their charges.</p><p>Erik watched until the children and volunteers turned a corner. As the last few stragglers left the hallway, a little boy ran at top speed from a room. His backpack was bigger than his body. He skid as he tried to turn the corner, and the weight of his backpack nearly overbalanced him. Erik expected him to topple over from the momentum alone, but the boy corrected and kept going at top speed.</p><p>He panted, “I’m coming! Don’t leave me,” his little voice drowned out by the sound of his sneakers squeaking on marble.</p><p>A head poked around the corner, “Don’t run, Devonté!” The volunteer warned.</p><p>It was then that Erik noticed his untied shoes. Before he could say anything, the boy stepped on a lace and pitched towards the floor. Hard. The boy fell so hard it surprised Erik the glass walls didn’t rattle.</p><p>“Ooh,” the volunteer said, “You’re ok. It’s okay, Devonté.” She rounded the corner and speed walked closer.</p><p>Erik reached the boy first. Crouching low, he held out his palm for him to take, “You alright little man?”</p><p>Devonté sniffed without answering. He took Erik’s hand and struggled to his feet. He didn't look at either of the adults who’d seen him greet the floor with his face. Erik stayed crouched and brushed the boy off, studying his face for any signs of hurt.</p><p>“You alright, little man. But if you need to cry, it’s okay. It hurts right,” Devonté nodded, the start of a sob racking his body. He had a little dust on his forehead.</p><p>Without comment, Erik dusted him off and squeezed his hand. The volunteer arrived a second later. She crouched low, wipes at the ready.</p><p>“I got this, sir. Sorry to bother you.” She gently, but pointedly, took Devonté’s hand out of Erik's.</p><p>He had to cover a smile with a clearing of his throat. She’d done the right thing. That’s exactly what they train for with all employees, but it was a little funny to see his own work used against him.</p><p>Erik rose to his feet and brushed off his suit. Aside from Devonté and the volunteer, the hallway was empty. Erik peeked around a corner and saw Aleesha focused on a guest.</p><p>When the hallway emptied of people, they’d filled the lobby with a large crowd. Erik didn’t see the children anywhere. They were likely tucked away from the primary operations of the Center.</p><p>Everyone in the lobby looked like they came from the upper floors. Some milled about, others didn’t pause for small talk. Erik meandered through the crowd on his way to the elevator bank.</p><p>The number of black and brown faces pleased him. T’Challa forced a provision against hiring bias in the bylaws of the Center early on. Erik knew better than to fight him about it. The employees were from the community they were serving, and that was what mattered most.</p><p>Erik scanned the lobby once more. If the answer to the success of this Center lie among these people, how would he replicate that? T’Challa was pushing to open a new Center but Erik thought they were building too fast. They'd tied the family name to this place. The crown had sacrificed a lot for Erik’s dream. He couldn’t let it fall apart.</p><p>Erik turned away from the crowd and fell into step behind a couple headed for the elevators. He faltered at the obvious White Man head in front of him. He had a tortilla chip body. Despite his whiteness, the man moved through the lobby without issue.</p><p>So this is what he gets when Erik let T’Challa have his way? Typical.</p><p>“Are you sure I can’t tempt you to another thermos of hot chocolate? I finally got the recipe right.” The woman in front of Erik pleaded. In her hands was a red thermos. It matched the red outfit to a tee.</p><p>Was this woman in a costume? It was December true, but it was also 80 degrees outside. Who could be in the Christmas spirit when it was hot enough to wear flip-flops?</p><p>Erik marked her immediately as one of T’Challa’s diversity hires.</p><p>“Fallon,” the White Man groaned, “I’m stuffed, doll. Plus, how can that be any different from the hot chocolate you gave me this morning?”</p><p>Erik stopped in the middle of the hallway. Fallon? What were the odds? No, it was too much of a coincidence. She’d never come here, not after what he did. Erik’s eyes scanned the woman again, searching for any hint of the girl he knew.</p><p>She’d always been short. The last Erik had seen her, she’d been no taller than his chest. This woman wore heels, but she still wasn’t taller than the white man at her side.</p><p>She shook her thermos as they came to a stop in front of the elevators. “If you drink it, I’ll tell you,” she sang.</p><p>Erik stepped forward. Despite facing his direction, the bulk of the white man hid her face from view. Erik needed to see her face. He had to be sure.</p><p>In a moment of perfect timing, as Erik stepped forward, the white man leaned to the side to hit the call button. For one brief, breathless moment Erik saw her. There was no mistaking Fallon King. The years had changed her, but Erik knew immediately who she was.</p><p>“Hey!” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Fallon!”</p><p>Her head snapped in his direction. He was close enough to see her eyes go wide with shock. Erik couldn’t blame her. It’s been years. They weren’t the children they’d been when they dropped out of each other’s lives.</p><p>If her shock made her freeze in place Erik couldn’t tell. His body was on autopilot, pulled to her by instinct and need. When he came to a stop before her it took a lot of self-control to keep from scooping her into his arms.</p><p>How long has it been since he’s been close enough to touch her? How many nights had Erik lie awake dreaming of this very moment? As expected, none of his dreams compared to the real thing.</p><p>The Fallon in his dreams had been a memory of the girl he knew. He covered her in a rosy nostalgia that gave him something pleasant to remember and regret. The real Fallon had aged. Beautifully, of course. Ever since they were kids, Fallon had been beautiful.</p><p>She’d traded her natural hair for sleek, dark waves that fell to her waist. The minimal makeup Fallon wore during their teens had shifted to a more polished adult look. Right down to the cranberry red painting the lips Erik dreamed about kissing.</p><p>“Erik?” She took a step back, stumbling into the white man. He caught her with a protective arm around her waist. The move caught Erik’s eye.</p><p>“I can’t remember the last time someone called me that,” he laughed, the sound was both shocking and familiar. Erik didn’t laugh like that anymore. All high and throaty. It was the laugh he’d shed when he hit puberty. Two seconds in front of Fallon and he was a little boy again.</p><p>Fallon smiled, and some shock left her face. Her expression went warm, and Erik didn’t care that he’d laughed like a little boy. If it meant getting Fallon to look at him like that he’d snort like a pig.</p><p>The elevator door opened with a ding. Fallon and Erik didn’t break eye contact. They couldn’t stop drinking one another in. Erik couldn’t look away if he tried. He’d found Fallon King here, of all places. Who could have predicted it?</p><p>“We should get on the elevator.”</p><p>It took the white man opening the hole in his beard to get Fallon to break the moment they’d been sharing. Erik glared at him.</p><p>“Right, um,” Fallon turned to Erik, “I gotta go back to work.” She took a step back towards the elevator. The doors tried to close, but Erik slapped his palm between them before they could.</p><p>The move put him so close to Fallon he could smell her perfume. Cinnamon, vanilla, and… syrup? Erik almost lost his train of thought it smelled so good. What even was that and where could he get a bottle?</p><p>“When can I see you again? I’m in town for the month.” Erik wasn’t ashamed of the desperation in his voice. Fallon needed to know seeing her again wasn’t an option for him.</p><p>Fallon ducked her head as if embarrassed and said to the floor, “Yes, I know.”</p><p>The elevator door dinged in protest, trying once again to close before sliding back. Fallon jumped into the elevator. Next to the white man. Erik stepped in after her. He couldn’t let this be the last time they spoke again. Besides, he was going up anyway.</p><p>“When, Fallon?” Erik asked again.</p><p>She shook her head, the nervous tic so familiar Erik couldn’t help but smile. So much of her was exactly as he’d remembered. Fallon swiped her hair behind her ear, her eyes looking nowhere near him, “I get off at five. We can meet in the lobby.”</p><p>Erik’s smile widened.</p><p>“After five then,” Erik agreed.</p><p>The button for the fifth floor was already lit up when Erik pressed the button for the top floor. He made note of that before turning back to look at Fallon.</p><p>Before he could say anything, the white man stepped forward, “Nice to meet you I’m Duncan, Fallon’s fiancé,”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Day Two and now we have Fallon's perspective on everything? What do you think is she happy to see her ex best friend?</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It felt like the bottom of Fallon’s stomach had dropped to her feet. Or maybe that was the elevator moving between floors. Either way, Fallon’s stomach felt weak. Butterflies didn’t touch the swirl of emotion that had her palms going cold and her cheeks feeling hot.</p><p>Erik Stevens, in the flesh. Thirteen years go by and it’s like she’s 18 again. Standing in a train station waiting to give her heart away to a boy who left her like it was nothing. That boy no longer existed. In his place stood a man Fallon didn’t know. There were traces of the Erik Fallon had grown up with in his nose, the uptick of his mouth when he smirked, and those damned dimples. </p><p>Erik had become a very handsome man. A very handsome Prince to be exact.</p><p>“Prince N’Jadaka Udaku of Wakanda,” Erik answered. Fallon’s head snapped up in surprise. She’d never heard him use his title like that before. Then again, he’d never been Prince N’Jadaka to her. For as long as Fallon had known him, he was Erik. </p><p>He looked down his nose at Duncan as they shook hands, assessing the other man. Erik had an inch of height on Duncan. Fallon saw the second he realized this. The stern set to his lips softened into a knowing smirk. Duncan seemed to notice nothing. He returned Erik’s smirk with a guileless smile and ended the handshake.</p><p>“Fal’s told me so much about you, Your Highness,” Duncan stepped close to Fallon’s side. At work they kept the PDA to a minimum, but Fallon appreciated the move. If Erik wasn’t here, she’d have pressed her cheek against his bicep and hugged his arm.</p><p>Even though all Duncan did was take a step towards her, Erik’s eyes flicked between them. Fallon knew that look. She’d grown up dreading it and learned that the only way to get him to stop the awful thing he might do was to distract him.</p><p>“How’s your family?” Fallon’s voice drew Erik’s stare immediately. Sharp brown eyes bore into her skin. Fallon struggled not to flinch or look away. She couldn’t show weakness in front of Erik Stevens. Not now, never again.</p><p>Adjusting his suit, Erik spoke to the floor, “They’re good, fantastic actually. T’Challa’s going to be joining me later in the month to help with the evaluation.”</p><p>Fallon’s eyebrows rose. That was news.  Speculation filled the assistant group chat about Erik’s visit. The rumors varied from the believable to the wildly imaginative. Fallon didn’t know what to believe. </p><p>“You're evaluating The Center?” The words left her mouth before she could think. Fallon covered her mouth with her hand, “I mean-”</p><p>“No, I know what you meant,” Erik grinned. His dimples were as devastating as they’d been when they were kids. Fallon had to look away again.</p><p>“I can’t share much. There’s still a lot to discuss.” Erik continued.</p><p>The elevator doors slid open on the fifth floor, cutting off whatever Erik would say next. Fallon wanted nothing more than to get off the elevator of her nightmares. Sure, a quiet, young part of her wanted to hear more. But they didn’t have that kind of relationship anymore. Fallon could no longer ask whatever she wanted and be sure he’d tell her the truth. Taking Duncan’s hand, Fallon nodded in respect to Erik then sped off the elevator.</p><p>“Fallon!” Erik called after her as the elevator doors tried to slide close. Erik’s large palm slapped them back. With a whine, they reopened.</p><p>Fallon turned and braced herself for what he might say next. <i>Sorry. I can’t wait to see you later. I missed you.</i> Any of these would have gone a long way to unraveling the knots in her stomach. She didn’t want them to go back to what they’d been, but some acknowledgement of their past would be enough for Fallon. </p><p>She held her breath. Trapped by the traitorous hope he’d say just what she needed. Duncan’s hand acted like a grounding point, sinking her into the moment despite his utter silence. Fallon couldn’t imagine what he must think. How did this look to him? It worried her when Fallon realized she almost didn’t care. </p><p>How had she fallen back into the Erik Fog? The man had hardly said anything, and yet she was blind to everything that wasn’t him.</p><p>“I-I… erm,” Erik cleared his throat and for the first time since he’d stormed the elevator, he looked away. Disappointment was a bitter, familiar taste in the back of Fallon’s throat. Stubbornly, her hope persisted. It persisted until, with a lame nod, Erik said, “See you after five.”</p><p>He waited thirteen years to say that?</p><p>Fallon wanted to hit him. She hadn’t hit anybody in a long time, yet Fallon had the specific urge to knock Erik upside his head. Who yells across a lobby and physically assaults elevator doors to say that? She knew Erik could be smarter than that! She’d seen his test scores when they were in school together. Had he lost his intelligence in the last thirteen years?</p><p>Or was it her? Was Fallon destined to get the worst of Erik Stevens while the rest of the world got Prince N’Jadaka? </p><p>“Hey, Fallon?” a voice called through the rush of thoughts ringing in Fallon’s ears. Her head twitched towards the sound, her mind still stuck on Erik’s display in the elevator.</p><p>How had she been stupid enough to think they wouldn’t run into each other? Fallon had felt lucky to work here so long without the interference of the royal family. It was asking too much of her admittedly bad luck to hope she wouldn’t run into Erik.</p><p>Unless they all knew Fallon worked here and never thought to contact her until she was in front of their faces. Oh look, there’s that new low she’d been searching for. It didn’t beat getting dumped in a train station before you could even get asked out. But it was coming in for a very close second.</p><p>“Fallon. Babe. Hey!” Someone clapped their hands in front of Fallon’s face. She jumped at the sound and almost sent her rolling chair across the room.</p><p>Fallon readjusted her chair with a glare, “Hello, Nicole. Good afternoon to you too.”</p><p>Nicole smiled sweetly, “Good afternoon! The baby’s hungry.”</p><p>Fallon rolled her eyes, “Then the baby’s mother should feed it.”</p><p>Nicole pouted and placed a protective hand on her bump. Fallon sighed. She hadn’t really been about to leave her future godchild to starve, and Nicole knew it. Fallon grabbed the lunch bag she’d packed specifically for Nicole and her baby from under her desk. As soon as she could see it Nicole had her hands out.</p><p>Fallon pulled it out of reach, “Don’t think this is gonna be a regular thing.”</p><p>Nicole nodded seriously, “Of course."</p><p>After Fallon handed the bag over she added, “By the way, I gave the tupperware from last time to Duncan. So don’t bite my head off if it goes missing.”</p><p>Fallon’s mouth went dry at the mention of Duncan. Guiltily, she fidgeted with his grandmother’s ring. </p><p>“How did he look?”</p><p>Nicole had already set the lunch bag on Fallon’s desk and was now eating cold chicken curry like it was her last meal. She shot Fallon a weird look and said, “I don’t know how you want me to answer that.”</p><p>“Like,” Fallon’s arms flailed. How could she ask if her fiance looked weird after running into their boss/her childhood best friend? In a stupid act of emotional vulnerability, Fallon had opened up to Duncan a lot about Erik and the hurt he caused. He knew all about that sad day at the train station.</p><p>“Was he happy? Worried? Was he doing that thing with his face where his lips get all thin and he looks like a cave dweller?”</p><p>Nicole’s eyebrows flew to her hairline, “What?”</p><p>Fallon sighed, “Nevermind.”</p><p>“No, wait,” Nicole swallowed the bit of chicken and rice in her mouth and set the tupperware down. After checking her gums for any remnants of food, her face went serious.</p><p>“Okay, hit me with it.”</p><p>Fallon chewed her lip. Where should she even start? </p><p>Should she start with this morning when Erik had burst into their elevator out of nowhere? Or did she start thirteen years ago to the worst heartbreak she’d ever experienced in her life? Fallon had memories dating back to elementary school. There was no beginning early enough to relay the weight of this morning.</p><p>“The Prince of Wakanda arrived at the Center today. He’s going to be in town for the next month studying this branch, and Duncan and I shared an elevator with him.”</p><p>Nicole’s sculpted brows were so low over her face they nearly blended with her lash extensions, “Got it, go on.”</p><p>“The Prince of Wakanda was in the same foster home as me and we grew up together.” Fallon continued.  Her hands felt useless in her lap. She needed to be doing something. Anything that will take her mind off of this conversation she has to have with Nicole.</p><p>Reaching under her desk, she snatched up her knitting bag. Above her, Nicole smacked her teeth.</p><p>“No, Fallon! No knitting!”</p><p>“I need it,” Fallon came up and clutched the bag to her chest, “I need it! I can’t talk about this, I need to be doing something.”</p><p>Nicole shook her head, “Okay, fine. I guess. But don’t get distracted and bitch out. We’re talking about this right now. All your anxious energy is upsetting the baby.”</p><p>Fallon’s heart fell. Her expression must have matched because Nicole was quick to add, “It’s okay, we forgive you. Don’t beat yourself up right now. Focus!” She pointed at the knitting bag, “Focus on knitting!”</p><p>Nodding, Fallon grabbed a random skein and a bare pair of needles. Creating the first row on the needles was enough to settle her racing heart. Damn Erik Stevens. Ruining the first day of Fallon’s favorite month. She’d bet he wasn’t even trying to rattle her world. He’d been a troublemaker since they were children. Why was Fallon surprised he hadn’t changed?</p><p>“So the Prince. Our boss. My childhood best friend, yelled my name across the lobby and then ran to stop the elevator I was in with Duncan.” Fallon took a deep breath. </p><p><i>Focus on the feel of the yarn. Don’t drop the stitch.</i> Her next breath came easier. The breath after that was a relief.</p><p>“He gets in our elevator and I’m stuck. I’m 18 years old and I’m all alone at the train station. Only it’s worse because I’m in my thirties and my fiance was standing right there!”</p><p>Nicole picked at her food while Fallon talked, “So wait you dated a prince?”</p><p>Fallon wanted to scream into the few rows of yarn hanging off her needles. Was she not listening to her?</p><p>“<i>No</i>,” Fallon shook her head, “He was my best friend. He was… my <i>only</i> friend. And then when we were supposed to go to college together he came back to tell me I ruined his life. Oh! And he was joining the navy.”</p><p>“Wait, no!” Nicole sat up, “This was him? That was the guy who-”</p><p>“Yes,” Fallon sighed, “And Duncan had to introduce himself. I was so shocked to see him I couldn’t even think.”</p><p>Nicole perked at that, “Is he fine?”</p><p>Fallon gave her a dark look, “I don’t think your wife would be happy to hear you asking that question, Nicole.”</p><p>Nicole rolled her eyes, “Mikayla knows I’m bi not blind. I can look, I just have to ask before I touch.”</p><p>Fallon didn’t even want to go into that. Nicole’s studsband was a nice woman in Fallon’s eyes, but they didn’t know each other well. All they had in common was Nicole, and at this point they knew her well enough to let her do her. Especially now that she was carrying Fallon’s future godchild. It was better to move on than fight her.</p><p>“I grew up with him, I wouldn’t know if he was fine.” Fallon lied. Nicole sucked her teeth, wordlessly calling her out on the lie. Or she was dislodging some chicken stuck in her teeth. It was possible that Fallon was feeling paranoid.</p><p>
  <i>Damn it Erik!</i>
</p><p>“Well, if it makes you feel better Duncan was his usual Caucasian self. His lips were only as thin as they usually are behind that beard.”</p><p>Fallon glared at her friend, “Be nice,”</p><p>“I’m playing! He’s my friend too, you know.” Nicole waved off her glare and picked up her tupperware.</p><p>“I’m not in the mood for that, Nicole. I have to go meet up with Erik after work and I have no idea what we’re going to talk about.”</p><p>“You didn’t tell me he asked you out to dinner!” Nicole jumped in her seat. Showing far too much excitement and pushing the limit on her blazer buttons.</p><p>Fallon’s hands dropped in her lap, “He didn’t-couldn’t mean it like that. Duncan was right there. Even Erik wouldn’t stoop that low.”</p><p>Nicole hummed, “Well, I know for sure he wasn’t inviting Duncan to meet after work. So if that’s not a date…” She smiled and waggled her eyebrows. With more flair than necessary, she placed a spoonful of rice in her mouth.</p><p>Fallon had the very sudden, very violent urge to knock the container out of her hands. Then Nicole’s words clicked. Erik hadn’t invited Duncan to meet after work. Should Fallon even show? Wasn’t there some rule against meeting with someone from your past when you had a fiance? Did Duncan know Erik didn’t invite him?</p><p>Nicole hummed around a mouthful of food, “You looked stressed, girl.” She hopped off the desk and repacked the lunch bag, “I’m gonna go eat at my desk. Gotta protect the baby.”</p><p>Nicole slapped at Fallon’s shoulder with the hand not gripping the tupperware, “You’ll figure it out, babe. I know you will.”</p><p>Fallon waved lazily at her friend’s retreating back, but didn’t have enough faith in herself to reply.</p><p>Fallon tried to linger in the office as everyone began clearing out at five. Her boss, Mona, had left hours ago to pick her daughter up from school, so there was nothing keeping Fallon at her desk. If anyone asked she would tell them she had to clean up the fall decorations from the office. It was true and in line with her usual holiday schedule so no one (aside from Nicole) would question it.</p><p>When she passed her desk Nicole shot Fallon a knowing smile, “I’ll bring the tupperware back tomorrow. Good luck on your date,”</p><p>“You’re not funny,” Fallon hissed back. Nicole smiled and waved without giving Fallon’s hiss a second look.</p><p>At 5:05 Fallon thought she’d made it. Erik would go to the lobby, if he even remembered, see she wasn’t there, and give up. He probably hadn’t wanted to catch up anyway. That was something people from your past said when they couldn’t think of anything else. Even when the right thing to say was standing right in front of them!</p><p>Knocking on her desk snapped Fallon out of her mental downward spiral. She looked up and found only the understanding blue eyes of her fiance. “Duncan,” she smiled, happy to see him after her thought spiral. </p><p>Fallon stood from her chair and walked around her desk, right into his open arms. Hugging Duncan felt like a balm to her frayed nerves. Seeing Erik had knocked Fallon off kilter. She pressed her face into his wide chest and breathed in the scent of their shared home. So many emotions she’d thought long gone springing to the surface acted as a fuel to her anxiety.</p><p>But Duncan was familiar. Duncan was safe.</p><p>“Doll, you’re shaking.” Duncan unwrapped the arm she’d wrapped around his torso like a vice. He laced their fingers together and squeezed, “Your hands are freezing.”</p><p>Fallon sighed, “Yeah I was uh… not prepared for this morning.” </p><p>Pulling her closer, Duncan kissed the top of Fallon’s head and whispered, “Are you feeling okay? You don’t have to meet him for dinner if you don’t want to.”</p><p>Snuggling even closer, Fallon closed her eyes, “It’s not that I don’t want to go, it’s just…”</p><p>Duncan kissed her knuckles. His lips were soft and warm to the touch. As his kisses trailed to her wrist, a feeling of too much sensation made her jerk her hand out of his grip. The second she did it, horror made her recoil out of his touch.</p><p>“Oh, my god I’m so sorry I-”</p><p>“Fal it’s okay,” Duncan chuckled and moved his hand to hold her waist. It was as if her reaction didn’t bother him at all. Fallon didn’t know why she always expected him to react negatively to her moods. As always, Duncan was her calm in the storm of her emotions.</p><p>“You’re nervous about meeting with the Prince aren’t you?” Duncan rubbed Fallon’s back, “Won’t it be nice catching up with an old friend after so long?”</p><p>Fallon scoffed, “Yeah, the same way it’s nice to catch the flu twice a year.”</p><p>Duncan’s chuckle was a gruff bark that made Fallon’s head bounce against his chest. She smiled despite her misery. Looking at her fiance, Fallon knew exactly what she felt for the first time since running into Erik.</p><p>“Come with me.” Fallon squeezed Duncan’s torso when he laughed, “I’m serious! Come with me,” she pleaded.</p><p>“That was not an invitation for both of us, sweetheart. It’s okay to go by yourself.” Duncan’s words made sense, even though they were exactly the opposite of what she wanted to hear. Fallon chewed her lip to keep from pouting.</p><p>“But he invited me right in front of you. If he didn’t want you to come he’d have said so.”</p><p>Duncan shook his head with a laugh, “You’re really trying to get me to go. Will it honestly be that bad?” Fallon worked her jaw and gave him a long look. He didn’t know Erik. Technically Fallon didn’t know Erik either, but the boy she’d known had been hard to say no to. He fought to get his way, and the only way to beat him at his own game is to tie his hands in any situation.</p><p>If Duncan were with them he’d hesitate to get into their shared history. While Erik didn’t mind putting other people on blast, he hated to have his own business spread in the street. Thirteen years had nothing on the ammo Fallon had stored up from their youth.</p><p>“I’m not ready to be alone with him right now.” Fallon looked at Duncan’s sweater as she spoke. His mother had sent them matching cable knit cashmere sweaters, and Fallon loved the way he looked in his.</p><p>Right now it was the perfect place to rest her eyes as she struggled to say, “We haven’t spoken in years. He was my friend as a kid, but he might as well be a stranger to me.”</p><p>Duncan sighed. A moment later, his arms tightened around Fallon until they enveloped her in a cashmere bear hug. It was tight enough to be not quite suffocating, and Fallon reveled in the pressure. He’d always given the best hugs. It was exactly what she needed to steady her.</p><p>“I hope I’m not interrupting something,” an unfortunately familiar voice drawled. “On company property no less.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The word of the day for Day Two was: petty</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>I was a little lax on editing today, forgive me</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Erik loved every line of tension in Duncan’s shoulders. He wanted that man nothing less than absolutely uncomfortable. In a way that won’t lead to a lawsuit, of course. Erik didn’t like the man, but he had too much to lose over some uppity colonizer playing completely out of his fucking league. How Duncan had landed a woman like Fallon, Erik couldn’t understand. Honestly, it was better if he didn’t. That way he’d have no guilt when he eventually broke them up.</p><p>Erik had thought a lot during the elevator ride to his office. The man had said fiancé, not husband. So as far as Erik was concerned, Fallon was basically single. He could work with basically single. The first order of business was understanding his opponent. </p><p>Duncan had been telling the truth when he said he worked at the Center, much to Erik’s annoyance. His background checks came back clear and none of his social media revealed hidden white nationalist leanings. These were all things they checked before they even allowed him to set foot in the building. Erik double checked them anyway.</p><p>Duncan came from a very white family in a state Erik would bet money had a very white population. None of this explained how Duncan had found himself attached to Fallon, though. His social media dated them knowing each other starting at least three years ago. The relationship began shortly after, and the engagement had happened on Valentine’s Day this year.</p><p>Erik’s lip curled at that. Fallon hated Valentine’s Day. When they were kids, she’d pretend to be sick every year to get out of going to school. Erik suspected Miss Ashley knew she was faking, but the old woman always let Fallon stay. In their teens, Erik had sent her a bunch of gifts from Wakanda, something he always did, and Fallon usually loved it. That year he’d called them Valentine’s Day gifts for no reason beyond wanting to get her something nice.</p><p>She’d been furious with him during their phone call that night. Fallon gave him the silent treatment for two weeks. The worst two weeks of Erik’s young life. He thought he’d lost his best friend over his stupid feelings and vowed to keep that shit to himself next time. When Fallon eventually started taking his calls again, they never talked about his gifts. To this day, Erik couldn’t say for sure if she’d kept any of them.</p><p>“Your Highness,” Duncan turned smoothly out of Fallon’s embrace.</p><p>Fallon looked less prepared to see him. Her hands went behind her back. As if Erik hadn’t seen how tightly she gripped at Duncan’s sweater while they hugged. Seeing her hold on to her fiancé as if she actually wanted him closer made Erik doubt his plan to come between them. </p><p>Erik would always have Fallon’s past, but it was Duncan’s ring on her finger. There was more than one man that wanted a future with her and Erik hadn’t honestly expected competition. </p><p>“I reserved a table at a steakhouse in Santa Monica. We should leave now to beat traffic.” Fallon loved a good steak, he knew. When they were kids, she’d save her chore money and go to the market on the corner for two steaks. She couldn’t afford any sides, but she dressed them up with things she’d learned on Food Network. Garlic, rosemary if she could find it, and butter. Lots and lots of butter.</p><p>Fallon was the only child Miss Ashley allowed to use the stove, and she never disappointed. </p><p>Erik had to fight a triumphant smile when, predictably, Fallon’s eyes lit up immediately. He would imagine that on an assistant’s salary (yes, he checked) she couldn’t afford steaks every night. No matter how she felt about Erik, Fallon would never turn down free steak.</p><p>Duncan brightened, “Sounds good! Should we follow you there or…”</p><p>Erik frowned at him. He should already know he’s not invited. Before Erik could tell him as much, Fallon perked up, nodding like a bobble head at the white man’s words.</p><p>“I could call us a company car, I don’t think the drivers get off until the other floors leave for the night.” Erik opened his mouth to tell her that was unnecessary, but Fallon was already at her desk.</p><p>“Do you think you’ll need a security detail, Your Highness? We’ve been background checked by the company but-“</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Erik waved him off and turned to lean over the desk, “Fallon, I’d really like to talk. It’s been thirteen years- “Fallon interrupted with a pleasant smile that didn’t reach her eyes.</p><p>“You’re right, it has been thirteen years. And in those thirteen years I got a job, I got hobbies, and I got a fiancé.” The polite tone and smile dropped. The Stare replaced it, “He’s coming with us.” With that said, Fallon called down to the lobby.</p><p>Erik met The Stare with a hard glare in return. Fallon needed to understand they weren’t little kids anymore. She can’t bully him into submission. He’d served in the Navy! He wouldn’t have a woman with Christmas tree earrings bend him to her will.</p><p>They both heard the click of the front desk picking up. Erik cocked his head, “Call the front desk. That don’t mean he coming with us!”</p><p>With the Stare still locked on him Fallon smiled and said, “Hi Aleesha… yes it’s Fallon, from Events… I’m gonna need a car for three to a steakhouse in Santa Monica… yes, one second,” </p><p>The smile dropped and to Erik Fallon said, “What’s the name of the steakhouse?”</p><p>Erik shrugged, “All of a sudden, I can’t remember.”</p><p>The Stare darkened. A chill ran down Erik’s back. He looked back at Duncan accusingly. Smartly Duncan’s head was turned deliberately away from the power struggle between Erik and Fallon.</p><p>“I’m suddenly tired,” to Duncan, Fallon added, “Wanna pick up something to eat on the way home?”</p><p>Erik cursed. This woman!</p><p>“Fine! It’s called Carne. It’s near the Promenade.” Erik rubbed his forehead, using his hand to block the view of Fallon’s smug smirk.</p><p>Her peppy tone was much more sincere when she gave Aleesha the details. Her smile was so wide and smug he couldn’t stay mad. It was just like the one she’d flashed after she got her way when they were kids. She did it every time. The sight of it left Erik struck dumb. His feelings for her suddenly reached a fever pitch in his chest. Fallon was a beautiful woman, but in that moment she was so fucking cute Erik couldn’t stand it.</p><p>“I’m guessing she did this a lot when you were kids,” Duncan spoke up, reminding Erik of his presence.</p><p>Nipping his smile in the bud, Erik cleared his throat, “Yep, been bossy all her life.”</p><p>Duncan laughed and shook his head, “Glad to see nothing’s changed.”</p><p>Erik turned away from him. He wasn’t looking to bond with the man. He was here for Fallon. Duncan was literally the key thing in his way.</p><p>Adjusting his suit, Erik nodded to Fallon, “I’ll meet you both downstairs I forgot something in my office.”</p><p>Duncan and Fallon seemed aware of Erik’s discomfort at seeing them together. Or they were worried about being too intimate in front of their boss. Either way, Erik appreciated how easier it was to come between them and dominate Fallon’s attention. When the car arrived, he relegated Duncan to the front seat so he could share the back with Fallon. They didn’t talk during the drive, but his position allowed Erik an unobstructed view of Fallon’s face.</p><p>He could see bits and pieces of the little girl he’d grown up with, but Erik found the new mysterious woman before him captivating. A million questions ran through his head, yet his tongue was heavy. As he’d expected, Fallon was magnificent. With her bouncy skirts and adorable earrings, Fallon looked a lot like a sexy librarian. But like quirky or whatever they called women into that weird shit.</p><p>As far as Erik could see, Fallon’s weird shit was Christmas. The Christmas tree earrings, red skirt and sweater combo were one hint among many. He’d bet money she’d purposely coordinated to evoke Santa Claus. </p><p>Erik bit his lip as his eyes trailed down her outfit. Another benefit of grownup Fallon? Her body. The woman was tiny, but her ass was fat. Perfectly rounded with thick thighs to boot. She’d attempted to maintain modesty with sheer, black tights under her skirt, but all that modesty had gone to waste in the backseat of the town car. The skirt had bunched up at some point. Accidentally, Erik suspected. Accidentally on purpose in his dreams.</p><p>His eyes traveled up miles of leg sheathed in the sheer, delicate fabric. Erik wanted to rip into them, to taste the flesh beneath when he noticed the straps. Fallon King was wearing the old-fashioned type of stockings. The Marilyn Monroe come hither shit that Erik always secretly had a fetish for.</p><p>When you’re a royal, you had to explore your fetishes with the professionals. Any old girl off the street just wouldn’t do. Regular girls liked to blab about their experiences. A professional just wanted to get paid. Erik had told none of the women in his rotation about this kink. Seeing Fallon innocently watch the buildings pass by while wearing a full on garter belt and stockings right next to him...</p><p>Maybe his suit was a little too well tailored? Bast help him.</p><p>Carne was too intimate a restaurant for a party of three. Dark wood and leather decor mixed with the low light made the atmosphere too romantic for what was essentially Erik third-wheeling it with a couple. Tall, dripping candles sat at the center of every table and provided the only light for their meal. Their hostess led them to their booth, a last-minute improvisation Erik loathed. He was no longer in danger of busting the seam of his pants, but he knew he’d get all wrinkled sliding in and out of there.</p><p>Fallon jumped into the booth fist, positioning herself right in the bend of the u-shaped seat. Suddenly Erik didn’t have such a vendetta against their seating arrangements. He happily, and clumsily, slid into the booth on Fallon’s left. Duncan may have gotten in of her right, Erik didn’t know. He was doing his best to pretend the white man colonizing their date wasn’t even there.</p><p>Their server arrived and handed out menus, “Good evening, my name is Sloane and I’ll be your server today.” Once everyone had a menu, she took out a pad and pen and looked at each of them, “Can I get you started on drinks while you look over the menu?”</p><p>The menu was a single sheet of thick, soft paper. There were only three options per course. The wine and spirits list was longer and ran over onto the back. Erik scanned the menu and knew instantly what he’d want to eat. His aunty had taught him better than to order before a woman, so he paused. The Queen Mother wasn’t here, but that didn’t stop her from knowing every time Erik forgot her “teachings”.</p><p>Erik was almost certain she didn’t have a spy tailing him, but he had a bet going with Shuri that she’d had him chipped. A bet that suddenly didn’t seem very fair because Shuri would be the one to develop the chip if it existed. Erik frowned.</p><p>Next to him, Fallon blew air through her lips noisily. He turned and moved close, placing his arm behind her in the booth. Fallon didn’t even notice the move as her eyes scanned the menu repeatedly. The bland, white paper and black calligraphy weren’t nearly that interested, yet Fallon wouldn’t look away.</p><p>A glance over the top of her head confirmed that Duncan was staring at them. His menu sat neglected in his pale hands and through the beard on his cheeks his thin lips were even thinner. Erik smirked, ridiculously amused by the other man’s discomfort. Since he was staring, Erik gave him a little show.</p><p>“Get anything you want, Fallon. A couple of apps or a few cocktails.” Erik leaned into Fallon’s space and pointed at something random on the menu, “That looks good do you want to get it some to share.”</p><p>Duncan was full out glaring when Erik checked his expression. As his eyes darkened, Erik’s lit up. He lived to rile niggas up, and he was definitely getting under Duncan’s skin.</p><p>“Everything’s so…” Fallon chewed her lip and scanned the menu once more, “Expensive,” she whispered. Turning wide eyes to Erik, she cocked her head at the menu, “Have you seen these prices?”</p><p>Erik waved them off, “The price doesn’t matter.”</p><p>Fallon dropped her menu and reeled back, “Are you crazy? The price doesn’t matter? Of course the price matters! Sometimes things are too much and you can’t justify- “ she cut herself off and glanced at the server still waiting, pen and pad out and a checked out expression on her face.</p><p>Turning closer to Erik, Fallon hissed, “You can’t expect me to spend $80 on one plate, Erik.”</p><p>Peering at his menu, Erik pointed at the item she’d been looking at, “Oh, that’s just an entree. Did you see anything you wanted on the dessert list?”</p><p>Fallon’s eyes bugged out of her head, and her lips pressed together. He couldn’t hear the words she was holding back. Her jaw works and her lips open, but she suppresses whatever’s trying to come out. Erik could tell she wanted to cuss him out. The server and the venue stopped her from acting on her anger, but the murder in her eyes is unmistakable.</p><p>Biting back his own frustration, Erik picked up her menu and replaced it in her hands, “Just pick something Fallon, I’m paying. I have more than enough to afford a fucking steak.”</p><p>Fallon dropped the menu back on the table and crossed her arms over her chest. Erik nearly growled. Once Fallon’s arms went over her chest, she was about to fight. Why she wanted to fight over a fucking plate, Erik didn’t understand. But he wanted to. He needed to. At least one of them needed to bend so they both wouldn’t break.</p><p>It was just so fucking frustrating for Erik. He had money! He had more money than he could spend in his lifetime without even touching the trust set up by his uncle. Yet Fallon was all worked up over a few dollars? They’d both grown up so poor. They ate county lunches and almost never had pocket money to go to the candy house with their friends or buy snacks on field trips.</p><p>Fallon and Erik would stay awake, talking through the vent connecting their rooms and spinning wild futures for themselves. When they were younger, it was enough to have the money to buy all the toys they saw in commercials. As teens it was enough to hope for college, a career they loved, neighboring apartments that always looked a little like Khadijah’s apartment in Living Single.</p><p>They used to dream of coming to a place like this, and Fallon couldn’t even bring herself to enjoy it!</p><p>“Just order something, don’t look at the price.” Erik thrust the menu in her hands. If he was a little rough with his movements, blame the flimsy paper, not the woman working his last nerve.</p><p>Fallon set the menu on the table carefully. To their server she said, “I’ll take a glass of water. Tap if it’s free.”</p><p>Erik rolled his eyes, “She’ll take a-”</p><p>“Don’t you order for me, Erik Stevens!” </p><p>“I didn’t take you to a steakhouse to get a fucking glass of water, Fallon King!” Erik barked back.</p><p>Quietly, from the other end of the table, Duncan pulled the server aside and said, “The lady will have the chicken dish here,” he pointed at the menu. The server gauged Fallon’s reaction before writing anything. Erik turned in his seat. He wanted to see this too.</p><p>Fallon frowned and snatched up the creased menu. She squinted at it a second then her expression shifted, “That would be nice actually, thank you.”</p><p>Duncan smiled at her and inclined his head. Erik bit back a sneer and snatched up his menu too. Once he found what Duncan ordered, he snorted. Of course she’d agree to the cheapest thing on the menu. And it was an appetizer, too. Working his jaw, Erik had to give Duncan that point. </p><p>The white boy managed the situation well. Erik would never admit that out loud.</p><p>Duncan ordered a lamb steak for himself and a beer on tap. That left Erik as the last one to order. He scanned the menu again but saw nothing he really wanted. Coming to the steakhouse had been about Fallon, not food. So far, the most interaction he’d gotten out of her was yet another power struggle.</p><p>It had always been this way when they were kids. They were both stubborn and bossy and liked to have their own way. You’d think growing up with someone exactly like that would teach you how to compromise. In actuality, it only made them better at fighting to get their way.</p><p>Without thinking, Erik pointed at a few random things on the menu but made sure the server knew he needed a whiskey double with one ice cube.</p><p>When the server left, the silence that settled over the table was heavy. Fallon wasn’t looking at either of them, and Duncan seemed content to look around the restaurant. Erik relaxed against the back of the booth. As close as he was to Fallon, he could smell her perfume, vanilla, cinnamon, and syrup. It was intoxicating. He wanted to lean closer and find the source. Was it her soft brown skin or her hair?</p><p>Would she ever let him find out?</p><p>“So, Your Highness… may I call you Erik?” Duncan’s voice snagged Erik’s attention and broke the happy Fallon Fog he had going on.</p><p>Struggling not to sigh and roll his eyes, he didn’t Fallon defending the man right in front of him, Erik said, “No, you may not.”</p><p>“Erik!” Fallon twisted in her seat to glare at him. </p><p>“What?” Erik looked down at her with the most innocent expression he could manage.</p><p>“Be nice!” In a softer voice, she looked over at Duncan and took his hand in hers. With their hands clasped together on the table, she met Erik’s eyes straight on and said, “At one point in time, you were the most important person in my life. I can’t take that away or forget that. But Duncan,”</p><p>Fallon smiled so sweetly around his name Erik almost felt bad for hating the guy. Key word almost.</p><p>“Duncan’s my new family. Remember how I had to suck it up and share you with your family in Wakanda?” She nudged him with her foot. A wave of nostalgia made Erik smile.</p><p>Locking their ankles together under the table he rolled his eyes, “Oh my god you’ll never let go that I got adopted will you.”</p><p>“Nope!” Fallon popped the ‘p’, “It’s my right as an orphan to guilt anyone else with parents for as long as I see fit.” </p><p>Erik laughed, “Man, I remember how you looked in the airport. All mad with your scrunched-up face. You wouldn’t talk to me the entire drive over.”</p><p>Fallon rolled her eyes, “I was thirteen! All thirteen-year-olds are melodramatic.”</p><p>Erik turned to Duncan, “Picture a thirteen-year-old pouting through airport security.” </p><p>Duncan laughed prompting Fallon to shoot him a wounded look, “Don’t be on his side he wouldn’t even allow you to call him by his name.”</p><p>Erik shrugged, “Fine, the colonizer can call me Erik, happy now?”</p><p>Fallon’s smiled became a scowl so fast, “Erik,” she hissed. She turned to Duncan, essentially turning her back on Erik. “I’m so sorry he’s like this.  We can leave if you feel uncomfortable.”</p><p>Duncan waved off her worries, “It’s fine I’m not hurt by it.” </p><p>Well, the white man may not be hurt, but Erik could see that he hadn’t appreciated the comment at all. Smart of him to say nothing rather than to get into a debate about race with an African prince.</p><p>The server arrived with their drinks. She let them know that their food would be out shortly, then moved on to the next table in her section. As he’d requested, there was only one ice cube in Erik’s whiskey. Duncan’s beer was some fancy, locally sourced lager that smelled of chocolate and yeast from across the table. To Erik’s surprise, after taking a sip, he held the neck of the beer bottle out to Fallon.</p><p>From their letters as teens, Erik knew the first time Fallon had ever had a beer and how much she’d hated it afterwards. She’d vowed to never drink beer again. A year later, when he surprised her by taking her to her prom, she’d kept her vow. Fallon King did not drink beer. Yet Erik watched that same Fallon King take Duncan’s beer and take a drink.</p><p>He lost himself in the movement of her throat and the way her lips puckered to sip. He snapped out of it when she released the bottle with a surprised, “Mmm, that’s actually good.”</p><p>Fallon handed the beer back to Duncan and started studying the restaurant. As if she hadn’t just turned him on and made him regret every year they’d been apart. He’d missed so much. Would that be his ring on her finger if he’d stayed? Would there even be a Duncan in the picture if Erik had been there all along?</p><p>Guilt made his mouth dry. Tearing his eyes away from Fallon, he downed his whiskey. The whiskey practically evaporated on his tongue. There were notes of apple and honey among the expected taste of the barrel. When the server returned, this time with their food, Erik ordered another double.</p><p>“Damn it,” Duncan sighed. In front of him was a beautiful piece of lamb, perfectly cooked and still steaming next to a geometric stack of golden brown potatoes and beautifully green broccoli rabe.</p><p>Fallon was the picture of concern behind her comically small plate of chicken fajitas and rice. There was a red sauce slathered all over it that smelled rich and appealing. This was obviously an appetizer, and not the entrée Erik had wanted Fallon to have. Biting back a smart remark, Erik set into his own steak. He didn’t care if Duncan found glass in his food. Less work for him, honestly.</p><p>“I’m still a little full from lunch. That leftover sandwich was so good, doll. I don’t think I’m gonna finish this.” Raising his eyebrows innocently, Duncan offered Fallon his plate (more like platter) of lamb.</p><p>Fallon blinked at his plate dumbly, “You don’t want your food? That plate was $92, you can’t waste that.” Shaking her head, Fallon switched her small chicken plate for his lamb. The platter was comically large after the size of her previous plate, but Fallon seemed determined to eat it, anyway.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re gonna waste this,” Fallon danced in her seat as she cut into the steak. Erik wasn’t sure if she was annoyed at Duncan or happy to get the most expensive thing on the menu.</p><p>When Erik looked at Duncan, the man had his beer bottle against his lips. He watched closely as Fallon cut into the steak and loaded her fork with a bit of everything on the plate. He smiled as soon as the food made it past her lips.</p><p>“Yeah, me either.” Duncan caught Erik eyeing him and smiled around his beer bottle. With a wink, he took a swig. Pointing at Fallon’s platter, he swallowed and said, “Make sure you get the potatoes with the steak. Don’t just focus on the veggies.”</p><p>Erik sat back in his seat in awe. How had he… Erik stared down at his steak, trying to make sense of the scene he’d just watched. Duncan managed Fallon so easily. Fallon wasn’t an easy woman to love. She was a challenge. She was a brat. Erik grown up fighting this girl over everything and anything. Yet Duncan had her doing exactly what Erik wanted without so much as an eye roll.</p><p>The server arrived with his whiskey. Erik had it out of her hands before she could say, “And how’s everything over here?”</p><p>“Fine,” Erik barked, “Bring me another double.”</p><p>Point Two, White Man</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Three was: Get it together, Erik!</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The meal wasn’t as bad as Fallon had feared. They stayed away from the elephant in the room. Fallon refused to get into his leaving and her heartbreak. Erik seemed content to ask about Fallon and make snide remarks to Duncan. He knocked back those double whiskeys like water. With every glass, he seemed to get meaner.</p><p>Duncan, like a saint, didn’t rise to Erik’s bait. He, like Erik, was more than aware of the power imbalance between them. Duncan could never snap at his boss and he had enough self preservation to avoid a conflict with a foreign dignitary. So he deflected Erik’s attacks with jokes. </p><p>Most of all, though, he knew how much Erik had meant to her at one time. Fallon would bet he didn’t want to upset her.</p><p>Unlike Erik, Duncan cared about how his actions affected her. Erik, several whiskey doubles deep and slumped on his side of the booth, seemed to have forgotten Fallon entirely.</p><p>Sneering in disgust, Fallon reached over and pinched a chunk of Erik’s skin between her fingers. With one twist, she had him upright and glaring with unfocused eyes. </p><p>“Fallon, what the fuck!” He snatched his hand out of her grip.</p><p>“Behave!” She hissed, “You are a Prince in a public place. Act like it.”</p><p>“We not little kids anymore! You can’t be putting yo hands on me like I’m your child.” Erik hissed back.</p><p>“Guys, you’re not whispering as low as you think you are,” Duncan said. He was actually whispering, Fallon noted sheepishly. </p><p>Erik’s face scrunched up a sure sign he was about to say something ugly. Raising her hand over his thigh, she pinched her fingers together in warning.</p><p>“Say it and I’ll do it again,” Fallon met his eyes so Erik could see she meant business.</p><p>Rolling his eyes Erik said, “I see Ms. Ashley still lives alive and well in you. How is she, by the way? Still taking in the kids nobody else wants?”</p><p>Fallon smiled despite her annoyance. She loved Ms. Ashley, and Fallon knew Erik felt the same way. She’d taken them in and given them as much of a childhood as two kids in the system could have. </p><p>After the royal family adopted Erik, she hadn’t stopped fostering kids. About five more passed through her doors before Fallon moved out at twenty-two. They were still close too. Ms. Ashley loves all her foster children, but Fallon likes to think she’s her favorite. </p><p>“She’s good. On a cruise of the Caribbean for the holidays. Every day she sends me pictures of the water and the food.” Smiling to herself, Fallon grabbed her phone and opened their recent messages.</p><p>Scooting closer to Erik, she pointed at the first picture she found, “She’s got a little vacation romance going on right now.” </p><p>On the screen, Ms. Ashley had one toned arm wrapped around another woman’s shoulders. They were both tall, dark-skinned, and ridiculously fit septuagenarians. Ms. Ashley’s short, gray hair glowed white in the sun next to her companions’ salt and pepper locs. They beamed at the camera on the deck of the ship.</p><p>When Erik saw the picture he smiled, “She got a lil’ girlfriend, I see,”</p><p>Fallon laughed, “Oh yeah. Her name’s Ronnie. They haven’t made it official yet, but Duncan has money on them coming back engaged.”</p><p>Fallon swiped through a few more pictures, garnering a bright smile and a laugh from Erik with each one. It was the first time the entire meal he hadn’t had something cutting to say to Duncan. Fallon relished the moment of peace. She felt so conflicted when they went at it like that. Her heart was loyal to both of them, but her head didn’t know who to defend. Erik was the one being an ass, but Fallon knew he wasn’t usually like this. Erik could be funny, caring, and sweet when he wasn’t trying to tear someone down.</p><p>Their server appeared with the bill and a glass of water in her hand. She set both on Erik’s side of the table, correctly assuming that he was the wallet in the group. His hands were sloppy as he dug through his suit pants for his wallet. Erik lazily tossed his card onto the table where it nearly slid off the edge. The server caught it, luckily, and took it and the bill on her way out.</p><p>“Sorry about him,” Fallon called to the server’s back. </p><p>“I’m glad Ms. Ashley found somebody.” Erik blurted. His eyes were closed while his head rested against the back of the booth. </p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Erik sighed, “Everybody needs somebody. I used to have somebody.”</p><p>Fallon snorted, “I’m sure you have a few somebodies, Erik,” If the assistant group chat was anything to go by, Erik had a whole <i>rotation</i> of somebodies.</p><p>Erik’s eyes opened. His head lolled to the side as he twisted to stare at her with unfocused brown eyes, “I used to have you. You were my somebody, Fallon.”</p><p>Fallon glanced at Duncan to see his reaction. She couldn’t read his expression, but his eyes focused on Erik across the table. His lips were thin and his eyebrows low</p><p><i>Fuck, fuck, fuck!</i> Where was that server? They needed to get the hell out of here before Erik said something worse.</p><p>“I have Duncan now, Erik. You can’t say things like that.” She couldn’t meet his eyes.</p><p>Fallon couldn’t look at either man as she spoke. What was her life that she had to have conversations like this? And she couldn’t even escape. Like an idiot, she’d sandwiched herself in the middle. Next time she’ll insist on a regular table. Then when she has to make a quick escape, it won’t be so awkward.</p><p>Erik sighed dramatically and closed his eyes again, “He wouldn’t even be here if I hadn’t left.”</p><p>Fallon’s lips pinched and her hands turned into fists in her lap, “Stop it,” she hissed.</p><p>“We had plans, remember?” Erik continued as if she had said nothing at all.</p><p>Heat filled Fallon’s cheeks. Her eyes burned. Her body went taut with tension, anger, and worst of all; hurt. Why was he saying this? Why now? Did he have to be drunk to admit his feelings? Had the brave Erik she’d grown up with aged into a coward? Tears threatened to fall from Fallon’s eyes, she quickly blinked them back.</p><p>“Stop, Erik.” her voice cracked.</p><p>“Apartment in the city so we could be in the middle of everything.” Erik swallowed a burp before continuing, “You were gonna be a chef and shit.”</p><p>Fallon swallowed around the lump in her throat and said nothing. It’s not as if he was listening to her, anyway. </p><p>Yes, they’d had plans. Stupid, childish dreams that would have fallen apart whether or not Erik had stuck around. It had taken years of thinking she’d missed out on the life she should have had for her to realize that. If Erik had come back to her the way they’d planned, she still wouldn’t have been able to afford college. </p><p>They’d have fallen apart because Fallon really had no business hanging around royalty, and Erik had no business hanging with a poor little orphan from Compton.</p><p>“What happened to that, Fallon? Where’d that go?”</p><p>Fallon scoffed, “Don’t.” she whispered, “Fucking stop, Erik.”</p><p>Erik turned in his seat, his eyes open and lids low. If he wasn’t so drunk, she was sure he’d have stopped already. He wouldn’t be giving her this open, earnest look like he really was confused about why it all fell apart between them.</p><p>“Where’d that go, man? What happened to us?” the anguish in his voice made the tears in her eyes fall.</p><p>“Hey, man-” Duncan began.</p><p>“When I want your fucking opinion white boy, I’ll ask for it.” Erik snapped, “Speak when you’re fucking spoken to, alright?”</p><p>Slamming her hand on the table sent the tableware rattling and Erik jerking upright in his seat, “Now you listen here, Erik Stevens. You may be a fucking prince, but that doesn’t make you god. You can’t treat people however you want just because you’re pissed that <i>you</i> let me go.”</p><p>Turning in her seat, Fallon fixed the full strength of her glare on his stupid, handsome face, “<i>You</i> let me go, Erik. <i>You</i> are what happened to us. I showed up to that train station ready to start my life with my best friend and you ended that life before it began. So you can’t sit there, insult my fiancé, and then ask me what happened as if we simply lost touch!”</p><p>Erik closed his eyes again, absorbing her words. Adrenaline coursed through Fallon’s veins, turning her hands into blocks of ice. She felt shaky and off kilter, but in a good way. A look at Duncan with his proud, worried smile solidified the relief growing in Fallon’s chest. </p><p>She’d said it. After years of no closure, Fallon had done the one thing she’d never gotten to do; tell Erik Stevens the truth.</p><p>“I’m… sorry,” Erik’s voice was low and noticeably slurred, but sincere. When Fallon met his eyes, she saw a little lucidity and remorse. </p><p>In all the years she’d dreamed of confronting him, Fallon had never imagined that Erik would say sorry. Cuss her out? Break her heart all over again? Maybe. But actually apologize? Never. If it weren’t for Duncan’s presence, Fallon would believe this was yet another dream about Erik.</p><p>She looked at her fiancé, eyebrows raised to her hairline. “Did he just,” she whispered.</p><p>Duncan nodded, a smile as shocked as Fallon felt on his face. “Good job, sweetheart.” Duncan whispered back.</p><p>“Um,” Fallon cleared her throat. After her impassioned outburst, the change in energy left her feeling awkward, “Thank you. It means a lot to me to hear you say that.”</p><p>The server returned before Erik could answer. After signing the check, his movements still a little sloppy, Erik led them all out of the booth. It was dark outside of Carne, but the streetlights were blinding after the low light in the restaurant. It took them all a moment to adjust and stretch out their stiffness.</p><p>“Well, Erik. I’m sorry to drop in on this meeting between the two of you. But I am glad to see you both work it out. Fallon really cares about you a lot, man,” As he spoke, Duncan tucked Fallon into his side with an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>She snuggled close immediately. The chill in the late December air was kicking her cute sweater’s ass and her stockings were nowhere near warm enough for today’s weather. Erik, as drunk as he was, looked unaffected by the cold. His eyes danced between them for a second, then focused on Duncan. Fallon braced herself for whatever awful thing he would say next. </p><p>“Yeah, well,” Erik scratched his cheek, then sighed, “Maybe I was outta pocket for earlier, or whatever.”</p><p>Fallon beamed at him. Was it an apology by any normal person’s standard? No. But Erik didn’t do apologies, the one given to her notwithstanding. Fallon didn’t know why Erik didn’t like Duncan. Maybe it was because they were together, or maybe it was because he was white. With Erik, it could go either way. </p><p>Despite all that, he’d at least admitted that what he’d done was wrong. Fallon would take it.</p><p>Nudging Duncan, Fallon nodded towards Erik.</p><p>“Um.. thank you?” Duncan said. Fallon bit her lip to hide her smile. He obviously didn’t think Erik’s apology was sincere, but he was nice enough to accept it anyway. Fallon squeezed him closer. She loved this man.</p><p>Erik cleared his throat, “So uh… I guess I’ll go.” he looked down at his feet and shoved his hands in his pocket. The picture of a man all alone.</p><p>A rush of sympathy hit Fallon at once. If someone were to walk by, it would look like a couple and their single friend chatting in the street. No one could guess at the tension between the three of them. No passerby would see Fallon’s guilt or the awkward way Erik held himself apart from their embrace. </p><p>Fallon felt as if she were rubbing her relationship in his face. He’d never once mentioned a girlfriend in America or Wakanda. Between whiskey doubles and hurling insults at Duncan, he hadn’t had the time.</p><p>Still it was hard to see him alone. Yes he had his rotation of women (allegedly) but that wasn’t a relationship. That wasn’t what Fallon had with Duncan. What Fallon had always wanted to have with Erik.</p><p>It was never supposed to be like this. Together they were never alone. But now Fallon had Duncan. Once upon a time, Erik would have had Fallon by his side.</p><p>Reaching out, Fallon snagged Erik’s hand in hers and tugged him closer, “Come with us. You’re drunk and we still have a lot to catch up on.”</p><p>She looked at Duncan, silently asking how he felt about her offer. He winked and nodded, “Yeah, man, come to our place. You both can yell at each other as much as you want.”</p><p>Fallon scoffed. Erik laughed, startling both Duncan and Fallon. The sound of it warmed her heart. If Erik could remain as pleasant and nice as he’s being now, maybe things won’t be so bad.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>
  <b>The word of the day for Day Four was: unbothered</b>
</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Erik can’t believe he said all that. Whatever was in his cup had been strong enough to fill his tongue with all the thoughts he kept locked away. Erik had spent thirteen years not thinking about Fallon and the way he left things. Seeing her for the first time after so long unlocked feelings and thoughts, Erik thought he’d left in his youth.</p><p>Then there was Duncan. Erik had not expected Duncan.</p><p>As Fallon’s fiancé, he was nothing more than competition. An obstacle in the way of what Erik wanted most. His hubris had allowed him to dismiss the man before he could give him a reason to dislike him. And oh, how that had backfired. Fallon had allowed his petty jabs in the beginning but had drawn the line at outright disrespect.</p><p>That was her nature. Ever since they were kids, she’d put herself on the line for those being teased or bullied. Since she was so small for her age, Erik was usually the one who stepped up to make sure the bullies left her and whatever weakling she’d cared for that week.</p><p>He wanted to think of Duncan as Fallon’s current pet weakling, but this dinner had taught him better. Duncan mattered to Fallon. She loved him and it showed. Fallon wouldn’t allow Erik to badmouth him or push him out based on their past friendship. He may want her, but Fallon obviously no longer wanted him.</p><p>Hence the binge drinking at dinner. The only good part about knocking back half a bottle of whiskey was Erik didn’t have to remain coherent for the rest of the night. He didn’t have to sit and watch the first girl he’d ever loved being all in love with her fiancé. The last thing he remembered before everything went dark was the way they looked together. They were a unit, a team against Erik’s belligerent insults and drunken confession. </p><p>Sleep, when it came, was a relief from his own shame and embarrassment.</p><p>Erik jerked awake on a strange couch. There a glass of water pressed indelicately against his cheek. Half full and balanced precariously on his chest by one slack hand, it looked inches away from tipping over entirely.</p><p>His face scrunched up with pain as he righted the glass and himself. Erik felt raw all over and sleepy. He was dazed. A part of him was sure he was still drunk, but the pitching in his stomach and growing ache in his head felt more like a hangover.</p><p>The first sip of water was blessedly refreshing. As soon as it hit his tongue, Erik’s thirst made itself known. Long swigs from the glass couldn’t clear the slimy dryness of his tongue and throat. Too soon his cup was empty. Smacking his lips to spread moisture, Erik lazily unfolded himself from the couch.</p><p>Nothing in the dark room around him was familiar. Erik was sure he wasn’t in a hotel. The couch, which his aching body desperately missed, was too comfortable. Plush yet malleable. It molded and supported Erik’s body better than some mattresses. </p><p>But the clutter of silhouettes illuminated by the streetlights outside didn’t look like the clean cut blandness of a hotel room.</p><p>Erik’s toe stubbed something hard.</p><p>“Fuck!” He hissed through his teeth and felt around for the culprit. He knocked against the surface of a table, then gripped it for support. Okay, yeah. A hotel wouldn’t have a fucking dinning table behind the couch. He must be in Fallon’s apartment.</p><p>With the table as support, Erik cautiously felt his way towards the kitchen and it’s beckoning stove light. The kitchen was enormous for LA. The countertop went on for miles and the fridge looked like it could hold enough food for a family of ten. The stove had six burners and a strange-looking grill down its center.</p><p>It was the kitchen of Fallon’s dreams. Erik could see that immediately.</p><p>A quick glance in the fridge revealed a pitcher of water and several glass and plastic containers of food. Erik chose the water and closed the fridge silently. He didn’t know if his stomach could handle food with how queasy he felt. Erik was proud of himself for not getting sick all over the place, but he didn’t want to test his luck.</p><p>The first refill was in his mouth before Erik could set the pitcher down. Glug, glug, gone. He poured a second glass, then set the pitcher on the counter. With the light above the stove as his guide, Erik studied the contents of the barely lit kitchen.</p><p>Cookbooks were tucked into the corner of the wall and the fridge. Not a single one of them looked unused. A set of wooden and pastel plastic kitchen utensils sat upright in a pastel pink milk bottle. A set of knives, each gnarlier than the last, floated above the spoons and spatulas on a metallic bar. There were more cutting boards in her window than Erik had ever seen in his life. Each in a different, weirder shape than the last.</p><p>Fallon’s touch on this space was clear, but there were hints of Duncan all over. Between the stand mixer (Fallon) and the blender (Fallon), were His and Hers coffee mugs. There was a ‘D’ on the blue cup and an ‘F’ on the yellow. The surface of the fridge had pictures of Duncan and other white people. Fallon and a woman he didn’t recognize. And more than one photo of Duncan and Fallon looking more and more in love.</p><p>The pictures spelled the evolution of their relationship out across the fridge doors. Their friendship period where Duncan and Fallon just stood side by side in photos. The courtship; intimate physical contact, sweet candid moments captured just when they happened not to notice the camera. And finally, their engagement.</p><p>Erik rolled his eyes when he saw a cute picture of Fallon laying in the snow. She looked adorable and glowing with happiness. At her side was a blurry Duncan, kissing her cheek and prompting the lovely radiant look on her face.</p><p>If Erik hadn’t been so much of an ass, it could be him and Fallon in all these pictures. He could never shake that feeling of “what if”. What if he’d gotten on the train with her? What if he’d never let his stupid, fatalistic feelings about his Uncle cloud his judgement with Fallon?</p><p>After thirteen years and therapy, Erik could admit he’d lashed out and burned all his bridges because he thought he’d be getting back at his uncle. In his teenage mind, Erik thought ruining his life would hurt his uncle. Instead, it set him back by years and left him with the ashes of a once loving support system.</p><p>His aunty and cousins had welcomed Erik back with open arms. They worked with him to rebuild the trust lost in their family. In Wakanda, Erik rebuilt all he’d burned in his anger while the loose threads in America remained lost. He wimped out of owning up to the pain he’d caused. </p><p>Being in the Navy had fucking humbled him enough to reach out to his family. But not enough to make him reach out to Fallon.</p><p>His family forgave him because they loved him. They sympathized with what drove him to leave and wanted to fix what he had broken. <i>They</i> gave him a second chance while Erik was still trying to decide if he deserved one. Erik couldn’t approach Fallon after all the shit he’d done. He couldn’t deal with her forgiving him and he couldn’t handle the idea of her never wanting to see him again.</p><p>So he just… never tried reaching out. </p><p>Erik never looked for her online, even when he really wanted to. He’d thought it was the right thing. Leave her in the past, untouched by the mess of the man Erik had to work to grow out of. In the past Fallon was all his, and the possibility of them was still plausible. She was untouched by time. Unable to hate him for what he’d done.</p><p>All that avoidance to end up without her, anyway. Serves him fucking right.</p><p>Erik drank his water and turned away from the fridge. With silent, careful steps, he made his way through the apartment. He circled the living room, squinting at books and other knickknacks around the room. There wasn’t much he could see in the limited light, but Erik got the general impression of a home filled with love and all of Fallon’s favorite things.</p><p>In contrast to the front of the apartment, the hallway leading to the bedrooms was pitch black. The doors lining the walls looked identical. Erik’s bladder made itself known as he checked each door as discreetly as possible. After his behavior tonight, he didn’t want Fallon and Duncan to think he was trying to sneak into their bedroom.</p><p>The first two doors were a closet and a bedroom, respectively. The third led to the water heater closet. Erik closed it quietly and turned to assess the next few doors.</p><p>Only one of the doors was cracked. It was open just enough to let dim, blue tinted light into the hallway. Assuming it was the bathroom, Erik rushed towards it as quietly as he could. Right as he made it to the door, a quiet voice stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>“I’ve just never seen him act that way. I mean,” Fallon sighed, “I know I knew him when he was a kid and he’s had an entire decade to become a sloppy drunk. But I never thought he’d be like that.”</p><p>“I don’t think he’s a drunk. He was just a little over served.” Duncan, of all people, defended. Erik couldn’t contain his shock. Of all the people to defend him, Duncan wasn’t the last person on the list, but he was pretty far down there.</p><p>“Did you hear how he talked to you tonight!” Fallon’s voice rose ever so slightly from a whisper before she quickly contained it, “He was so disrespectful. I don’t know why I even agreed to see him after the first insult.”</p><p>The sheets rustled, “Fallon, I take nothing a drunk person says seriously. He was hurting, and I was a scapegoat.”</p><p>“Hurting over what! He’s a prince! He has every woman in the Center begging to get hop on his dick. What could he possibly have to hurt over?” Fallon laughed, but the sound had little humor to it.</p><p>Erik couldn’t blame her. If it had been his ring Fallon was wearing, he’d have never allowed Duncan to talk to him the way Erik had that night. Duncan wouldn’t have been able to walk away from the conversation if he’d spoken to Erik that way. He wouldn’t have even allowed Fallon to meet up with the man. Thanks to their early childhood Erik had seen all the Hallmark Christmas movies that started out with a big city woman engaged to a big city guy only to end with her and the childhood best friend riding off into the sunset.</p><p>Which… is exactly what Erik had been hoping for as the childhood best friend. And oh, how that had backfired.</p><p>“If I lost you Fallon, I don’t know what I would do. I don’t know the man I’d be because so much of who I am now is because of my connection with you. I can’t be mad at him for loving you and being heartbroken.”</p><p>“But he was such an ass,” Fallon whispered.</p><p>Erik leaned closer, straining to hear what she said next.</p><p>“When he left, I was a wreck. Now he’s back and I’m happy and I want him to be a part of that but not if he’s going to be mean to you.”</p><p>More sheet rustling followed her statement. “Sweetheart, give him another chance. He apologized, didn’t he? Maybe tonight was a bad night for him. It really shook you up after seeing him, maybe he felt the same way.”</p><p>Erik couldn’t believe his rival was defending him to Fallon right now. What planet was this man from? Was this a white person thing? Had Fallon stumbled on a new species of White Person and she didn’t even know it? Begrudgingly, Erik felt his respect for Duncan grow. He still didn’t like the man, let’s not get confused there.</p><p>Fallon sighed, “I’ll talk to him. I’ll try.” she didn’t sound enthusiastic about it.</p><p>Erik tiptoed backwards away from their door. He found the bathroom, turned the light on, and shut himself inside. He hoped that Fallon and Duncan wouldn’t realize that he’d been outside their room. But he was too in his thoughts to care. Everything he heard rattled around his head while he relieved himself.</p><p>It shocked Erik that Fallon was willing to see him again just because Duncan stuck up for him. He’d effectively pushed her away again yet because of Duncan he was getting a second (read: third) chance. On the one hand, he was grateful. Erik knew he wanted Fallon in his life again. He’d done a lot of work on himself, and he felt ready to be the man he should have been thirteen years ago.</p><p>It irked him that the fiancé of the woman he loved was the only reason he was getting a second (ahem: third) chance. It made him feel like he owed the guy something. Which just couldn’t stand. He’d have to repay him. But what?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p>
<p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Five was: I’M TORN!</b>
</p>
<p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fallon wakes up prepared for yet another treatment to the worst of Erik Stevens. He’d dropped off to sleep on her couch after the drive from the restaurant. Fallon expected a hangover to make his already combative personality more aggravating than usual. So she braced herself before leaving her room. Yet when she went into the living room, Erik wasn’t there.</p>
<p>The glass of water she’d given him before heading to bed herself was washed and in the dish rack. Nothing looked out of place. It was as if Erik had never come over at all. Duncan was out for his morning run and wouldn’t be back for another thirty minutes at least. Fallon would usually use this time to cook them breakfast or pack their lunches.</p>
<p>This could be any other morning. Instead of falling into routine, she drifted around her apartment looking for proof that what happened yesterday was real.</p>
<p>Reunited with Erik Stevens after thirteen years, and Fallon didn’t even have so much as a commemorative t-shirt to remember him by.</p>
<p>In her living room, Fallon found a note scribbled on a sheet of paper from the notepad they kept near the fridge.</p>
<p>Fallon, left to get my things. See you both after work.</p>
<p>E</p>
<p>With narrowed eyes, Fallon reread the note. It was short, uninformative, and not at all what she expected. Flipping the paper revealed nothing more. Had she agreed to another dinner with him? Had he ever asked to see them again for dinner? Fallon racked her brain but nothing came to mind. Unless she’d missed something between Erik insulting Duncan all night and then falling asleep on their couch.</p>
<p>There were pieces of this story missing.</p>
<p>Lost in the note, Fallon lost track of time. Duncan’s arrival startled her into standing and blurting, “Did we agree to meet Erik for dinner again?”</p>
<p>Duncan froze. One hand on the doorknob, one foot in the door. Her stare paralyzed him. His eyes shifted to the note before refocusing on her, “Um…” he stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind him, “No.”</p>
<p>Fallon waved the note around, “Then what’s this? What things are he getting and why is he gonna see us after work?”</p>
<p>Duncan blinked several times. Slowly, he took his ear buds out of his ears and set them on the console table nearby. Fallon narrowed her eyes when, even slower than he’d set his earbuds down, Duncan began toeing out of his shoes.</p>
<p>“No matter how slow you go, my question will still need an answer.” </p>
<p>Duncan deflated and dropped the slow motion act, “Okay, I told Erik he was welcome to stay with us after he found out they had given his hotel room away.”</p>
<p>Now it was Fallon’s turn to blink several times, “You what!”</p>
<p>Duncan winced, “Doll-”</p>
<p>Fallon raised one finger, silencing him immediately, “Don’t. You can’t doll me when you just told me Erik Stevens is going to be staying with us.”</p>
<p>Rubbing the back of his neck, Duncan took a cautious step forward. Fallon could see his plan immediately. He’d get all close with his skin smelling of sweat and sun, and he’d completely distract her from what he’d done. Fallon took a wide step back and pointed at him again.</p>
<p>“Stop it! You’re not gonna get out of this the way you did when you threw away the Christmas tree with all the ornaments still on.”</p>
<p>Duncan sighed. Raising his hands in surrender, he took another step forward and made a show of lowering himself onto the couch, “This better?”</p>
<p>“You’re on thin ice.” Fallon gritted out. “Explain.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Duncan began, “I woke up and found Erik already awake, so I asked if he needed a ride to his hotel. He told me he no longer has a hotel to go to. He missed check in yesterday and they’d given his room away.”</p>
<p>Fallon shook her head and raised a hand for him to stop, “So wait, why can’t he just find another hotel? He’s a prince.”</p>
<p>Fallon wasn’t sure if it was Duncan leaving things out or if Erik had been crafty enough to lie carefully. It just didn’t add up that a freaking Prince couldn’t find a hotel. In Los Angeles, no less. This was a tourist city! You couldn’t spit without hitting someone from a flyover state. They could get a hotel, but the Prince of Wakanda couldn’t?</p>
<p>Duncan shook his head, “Apparently he’s going under a fake name to keep the press away. Every hotel in the city is booked for the holidays. Kicking someone from their room would raise too many questions. He’s out of luck until the week after Christmas.”</p>
<p>Fallon sighed and shook her head. Of course he was. How convenient that Erik Stevens didn’t have a place to stay. Where was his rotation now? What was the point of having a bunch of women to run through if you couldn’t even stay with them when times get hard? Just goes to show that you can’t trust groupies and Erik should really do be-</p>
<p>Wait. Fallon stopped that train of thought in its tracks. Wrong thing to get worked up over. She needed to focus.</p>
<p>“Air BnB?”</p>
<p>Duncan shrugged, “There wouldn’t be enough time to do a security check and it would attract too much attention.”</p>
<p>Fallon scowled, “How convenient to have an answer for everything.”</p>
<p>Duncan smiled like he wanted to laugh but smartly pressed his lips tight to keep sound from escaping. Fallon paced the small stretch of rug between the coffee table and the tv. Her hands crushed the note into a ball. The urge to throw it was strong, but Fallon clenched her muscles tight to keep from giving in. Only Erik got to have childish, emotional outbursts. Fallon had worked too hard to control her emotions to stoop so low.</p>
<p>“Sweetheart,” Duncan began. He slowly extended his arm and caught her robe by the hem. Gentle tugging prompted her to step around the coffee table. He continued to tug her close, and she continued to pretend she didn’t want to go. Fallon held out for as long as she could, but Duncan had no trouble getting her to perch on his lap.</p>
<p>Rubbing her back soothingly, Duncan kissed her cheek, “You said you’d give him a second chance,”</p>
<p>“I meant brunch or coffee! Not… him moving in with us. D, this is a terrible idea.” Fallon laughed, but not because she found the situation funny. This was essentially her nightmare. Two confrontations with Erik back to back was the last thing she wanted, yet Duncan had signed her up for a month full of Erik.</p>
<p>During December, no less. How dare the both of them ruin the best month of the year?</p>
<p>Squeezing her thigh with one of his big hands, Duncan gave her a little shake, “C’mon it won’t be that bad.”</p>
<p>Fallon scoffed, “So were you selectively deaf yesterday or did you not hear him berating you every time you so much as opened your mouth?”</p>
<p>“I heard a man in love lashing out.” Duncan kissed Fallon’s cheek again, his lips brushing dangerously close to her mouth. Fallon wanted to kiss him back, but she was still so mad.</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you discuss this with me first?” Fallon whined. </p>
<p>Duncan smiled, “Would you have said no?”</p>
<p>“Yes!” Fallon snapped.</p>
<p>Then she thought about it. Would she have said no if Erik had asked her? After his behavior yesterday, she kind of wanted nothing to do with him. But there’s still a stubborn part of her heart that loves him. It loves the boy he’d been and the small glimpses of that boy she saw in him yesterday. Would Fallon have been able to say no in Erik’s hour of need?</p>
<p>Deflating in Duncan's arms, Fallon shook her head, “No, no, I wouldn’t have.” she sighed, “But you still could have asked me first. We’re a team and I need to know big decisions like this before you decide.”</p>
<p>Duncan nodded seriously, his blue eyes sincere and loving as they stared into her own, “Of course, sweetheart. It was wrong of me to assume.”</p>
<p>Fallon bit back a smile, “God, I hate it when you’re right!”</p>
<p>Duncan cocked an eyebrow, “Really? ‘Cause I heard you love it when I’m absolutely right. And you love telling me all about it in bed.”</p>
<p>Fallon shook her head and laughed, “Oooh, I hope this blows up in your face.”</p>
<p>Duncan reeled back, exaggerated hurt on his handsome features, “Well now that’s just hurtful. And to think I was going to apologize again.”</p>
<p>Fallon cocked an eyebrow, “In bed?”</p>
<p>Duncan gave her a look.</p>
<p>With a giggle, Fallon leaped off Duncan’s lap and ran towards their bedroom.</p>
<p>“Run, run, rabbit. But we both know you want me to catch you!”</p>
<p>At work, Fallon walked around the building constantly looking over her shoulder. More than ever, working for Erik’s family weighed heavily on her mind. When Duncan told her about the open assistant position in Events all those years ago, Fallon worried she’d cross the line Erik had drawn between her and his world. </p>
<p>In their teens he kept her at a distance from all the royal stuff because Fallon was his normal. She reminded him of his roots.</p>
<p>The last time they saw each other, Erik had made it clear he didn’t want her anywhere near him or his family. When she eventually got the job, she expected Erik or the royal family to descend upon her at any moment. Nothing happened then, and her life went on.</p>
<p>Now, however, Erik was actually lurking about. Fallon would have to go home to him. And her fiancé. </p>
<p>In the Events department, Fallon tried to relax and focus on the work ahead of her. During the winter season, the Center hosted food drives and galas for everyone in the city. These final five events meant a lot towards their budget the next year, so Mona kept all hands on deck to keep things running smoothly. Usually she assigned Nicole and the other designers an Event. They planned everything themselves but kept Mona updated so she can guide it along the Center’s “core vision”.</p>
<p>This year, with Erik’s arrival and the rumors going around the building, Mona decided she’d be more hands on.</p>
<p>And she was driving all the planners crazy.</p>
<p>“Fallon,” Nicole hissed, “If your boss texts me one more time about swatches, I am going to go into early labor and strangle her with the umbilical cord.”</p>
<p>Fallon fought to keep the look of horror off her face as she passed her the packet for the weekly meeting and waved her into the conference room, “That was really gross and really graphic but we don’t have time to unpack all of that right now.”</p>
<p>The meeting drags. Nicole sends Fallon accusing glares whenever Mona turns her attention to “correcting” another planner. It’s the first week of December and they were having a Goodbye Party for the kids on the 12th. It was a fun day of crafts and food. A nice send off before the programs closed until the New Year.</p>
<p>If it weren’t for the Toy &amp; Coat Drive at the end of the month, Fallon would say that the Goodbye Party was her favorite. It was the perfect opportunity to meet with the youth they were all working to benefit and give them a nice memory.</p>
<p>Quincy has planned every Goodbye Party for the last three years, yet Mona was breathing down his neck over the details. No answer he gave was good enough. It seemed as if she had a million questions for the man, and it was obvious his patience was wearing thin.</p>
<p>“And the the…”</p>
<p>“Cookie making crafts,” Fallon supplied helpfully.</p>
<p>Mona snapped her fingers, “Yes, the cookies. Quincy, where are we on the cookies?”</p>
<p>Quincy’s smile was perfectly business-like, but his eyes screamed murder, “I have Fallon printing up individual recipe cards and all the volunteers underwent food safety training last year.”</p>
<p>Mona laced her fingers together, “Last year?”</p>
<p>Quincy’s mouth went tight, “I’ll make a note to have them go through recertification.”</p>
<p>Mona’s answering smile was all teeth, “You do that.” Her eyes finally left Quincy and circled the conference table.</p>
<p>Every planner tried their hardest not to meet her eyes. Fallon wanted to tell them not to bother. Mona sought weakness like a drone. It was always best to meet her gaze in a nonthreatening way until she lost interest in intimidating you. As her assistant, Fallon had enough information to fit a book on how to manage Mona. Bring up her kids, don’t seem afraid of her, never question her decisions, and you were golden.</p>
<p>If you had to swallow your anger and get stomach pains from all the stress, just be happy the Center has a comprehensive healthcare plan.</p>
<p>“Ah, Nicole.” Mona’s smile was bright. Fallon tensed, recognizing the tell immediately. Oh no, what has Nicole done now.</p>
<p>Nicole couldn’t fake a smile as well as Quincy could. Her grin looked like a snarl. It didn’t help that she answered Mona’s call with a high pitched, “Yes, Mona.”</p>
<p>Mona smirked, “Have you received all the RSVP’s for the gala at the end of the month?”</p>
<p>Nicole’s jaw worked. Through gritted teeth she said, “I have yet to send them out, Mona.”</p>
<p>Mona pursed her lips, “You don’t have my RSVP’s?” The way she said it, you’d think Nicole had misplaced her child. </p>
<p>“No, Mona. I haven’t sent them out yet.”</p>
<p>Mona sighed and fell against the back of her chair dramatically, “Am I planning these events by myself?” when no one answered, Mona sat forward abruptly and glared around the room, “Hello!”</p>
<p>“Uh-um,” Tyra began, her voice low. </p>
<p>Fallon supressed a groan, sure that the next thing to come out of Tyra's mouth would not be helpful. A wonderful planner she may be, but Tyra lacked the fine art of knowing when and how to say the wrong thing. More than anyone else in the room, she’s been on the other end of Mona’s perfectionist, asshole tirades. </p>
<p>“I actually got a call from the printer the other day. They’d been out of the cardstock we needed for invitations and had to postpone our order,” Fallon spoke quickly to cover anything Tyra might try to say.</p>
<p>Mona had to crane her neck to see Fallon, and the awkward angle made her curly wig lift off her temple, “And?”</p>
<p>“And they should mail them by…” she glanced at Nicole for help. She shrugged, eyebrows skyward on her face. Fallon would bet her engagement ring that Nicole hadn’t even ordered them yet. Taking a wild guess, she said, “The eleventh.”</p>
<p>Mona made a face, “Oh,” she sighed and waved a dismissive hand, “Alright then, lets get on to the Food Drive.”</p>
<p>For the rest of the meeting, Mona took her time micromanaging every planner. She questioned and belittled their ideas until they doubted their work, then dismissed them all for lunch. She left soon after to go pick up her daughter. As soon as she left, it felt like the entire office took a sigh of relief. The energy in the room was lighter, less stressed. Fallon even got a bit of knitting done at her desk before the dreaded 5 o’clock reared its head.</p>
<p>Duncan arrived, same as yesterday, to escort her to the lobby. He was wearing a beanie she’d made him at least two anniversaries ago and looked unfairly adorable. His biceps strained against his winter coat when he used them to lean on Fallon's desk. They greeted each other with a sweet, lingering kiss. Duncan’s lips were soft and warm against hers. If he didn’t pull away, Fallon could happily lose herself in the feeling of him.</p>
<p>“You ready?”</p>
<p>Fallon sighed dramatically. Duncan laughed and shook his head, “C’mon, doll. It won’t be that bad.”</p>
<p>Fallon glared at him as she repacked her work bag, “Said the man who hasn’t lived with Erik Stevens before.”</p>
<p>Duncan rolled his eyes, but there was no heat or annoyance to the gesture, “You can’t keep holding the mistakes of his youth against him. Everyone grows and changes,” Leaning close, Duncan asked, “Do you think you and I would have been together when we were younger?”</p>
<p>Fallon snorted. Shouldering her bag, she rounded the desk to stand at his side, “Frat boy Duncan? We’d have never survived each other.”</p>
<p>Duncan laced their fingers together and led her towards the exit. Before leaving, Fallon turned off the interior lights, then locked the doors with her key. That done, Duncan took her hand again and led them to the elevator bank.</p>
<p>“Exactly. I changed, you changed, and now we are perfect together.” Duncan continued.</p>
<p>Fallon smiled. She liked the sound of that, actually. She and Duncan were good together. Before they were ever a couple, he’d been her best friend. Well, <i>guy</i> best friend. If Liyah and Nicole heard her calling Duncan her best friend, she’d never hear the end of it. Even if it was true.</p>
<p>The elevator arrived, and the couple stepped on in unison. Duncan pressed the button for the lobby. As the doors slid closed, Duncan gave her hand a comforting squeeze.</p>
<p>“If it makes you feel any better, I can talk to him.”</p>
<p>Fallon turned to him so fast her hair whipped into her face and blinded her. Spitting the hair out of her mouth, Fallon moved her hair so she could stare at her fiancé uninterrupted, “Really? Are you sure?”</p>
<p>Duncan smiled at her. With a kiss to her forehead he said, “Yes, of course. At the end of the day I moved too fast allowing him to stay. It’s my responsibility to make sure he does nothing to make you uncomfortable.”</p>
<p>Fallon’s smile spread across her face so fast Duncan laughed, “Oh that’s all it takes to get smiles like that? You’re making it too easy for me, Fal.”</p>
<p>“Well then, be a bad fiancé. It’s not my fault you’re considerate and caring and nice and tall and sexy…”</p>
<p>Fallon stepped closer with every word until she was pressed against his chest and smiling up at him. Duncan’s smile was just as sweet and wide, but it was the hint of red in his face she was looking for. It took a lot to make Duncan blush, and Fallon loved the challenge.</p>
<p>The lobby was sparsely populated, so it took nothing at all for Fallon and Duncan to find Erik. He stood apart from the crowd, and not just because he was literally standing as far away from other people as he could. But the way he held himself was distinct. His beautiful, tailored suit stood out among the off the rack suits of visitors and various male employees.</p>
<p>Most of all, his presence was captivating. Even standing still, he commanded your attention. Fallon didn’t know if this was a royal thing or an Erik thing. Without his mouth to ruin the facade, Fallon appreciated the view.</p>
<p>Erik noticed them as they approached and turned to meet them halfway.</p>
<p>“Hey, man,” Duncan chirped happily. Erik nodded at him, saying nothing. Fallon wanted to be annoyed, but frankly, that was already a step up from last night.</p>
<p>“Did y’all talk about my staying or…” the question was for Duncan but as he spoke Erik only had eyes for her.</p>
<p>“Yes, we discussed it.” Fallon cleared her throat, “Until the last week of December, right?’</p>
<p>Erik frowned and then looked at Duncan. Confused, Fallon looked at Duncan too.</p>
<p>Duncan smiled and nodded, “Yeah that’s what you said, right?”</p>
<p>Erik’s head cocked to the side, “Uh… yeah. Last week of December, but I’ll leave if a room opens up earlier. I’ve imposed enough on the both of y’all.”</p>
<p>“Oh man,” Duncan said, “Don’t worry about it. Honestly. ‘Tis the season, right?” Looking down at Fallon, he nudged her, “Right, Fallon?”</p>
<p>“Right.” Fallon gritted out. </p>
<p>Duncan yawned loudly, “Yeah, guys, I’m beat. Let’s head home.” before either of them could answer he led them both to the revolving doors.</p>
<p>And so began night one of Erik cohabitation. Fallon wasn’t religious, but she prayed to the spirit of Christmas to give her the strength to get through it. Erik was behaving for now, but the other shoe could drop at any moment. For once in her life, Fallon didn’t want to be blindsided.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Six was: And they were roommates!</b>
</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The drive to Fallon and Duncan’s apartment was silent. Erik could feel Fallon’s tension where he sits in the front seat. She said nothing, but her tells are the same. Avoiding his eyes yet side eyeing him when she thought he couldn’t see. Mumbling under her breath as if he couldn't hear her.</p><p>It was just like when they were eleven, and he took the last popsicle during her nap.</p><p>Erik knew that if he addressed it, she’d deny ever being upset. Yet if he ignored it she’d keep mumbling and side eyeing until she got mad he didn't notice. It was a no-win situation that always ended with them yelling at each other until Erik apologized.</p><p>Well, not this time. Erik had apologized already. He was the victim in this situation. Being a part of the royal family came with certain restrictions and procedures. The hotel Erik reserved passed the security checks for a month-long stay.</p><p>Originally he'd have checked in after his visit to the Center. What Erik and the staff that made his reservation hadn’t prepared for was Fallon. As soon as he saw her, Erik’s thoughts lie with being with her by any means possible.</p><p>So maybe it was his fault he missed check. Erik hadn’t actually expected them to give his room away! Yes, it was the busy season for hotels but Erik was a prince! He's literal royalty.</p><p>In America, that counted for fuck all. T'Challa and Erik agreed it would be better for him to keep a low profile, but that meant Erik couldn’t flex his title for his benefit. Now he had to rely on the kindness of Fallon’s white man until they could prepare a room for him. After the stuff he'd said night before, that was the last thing he wanted.</p><p>Duncan had come to his defense so much at this point you'd think he and Erik had grown up together. It was hella annoying. Erik wanted to hate him, but Duncan made it impossible. How do you compete against someone so nice? What kind of game is that?</p><p>Now that he wasn’t drunk, Erik saw the exterior of their apartment for the first time. Climbing ivy nearly took over the stone facade. Someone had interlaced fairy lights among the vines and leaves. The cheery twinkling lights added character to the two story Spanish-style building.</p><p>The trio exited the car, and Erik allowed Fallon and Duncan to lead the way to the front gate. No one said a word during the trek upstairs. Erik for sure didn't want to be the first to break the silence. He’d said enough last night.</p><p>When they finally made it to the apartment, they found Erik's luggage waiting for them in the living room. After updating T'Challa about his temporary living situation, he arranged for his things to meet him after work. Duncan had yet again shown just how nice he was and used his lunch break to take Erik’s belongings inside. Yet another example of what a nice guy Fallon had found herself.</p><p>If Erik didn’t know for a fact that Duncan’s record was clean, he’d swear this man was a secret con artist. No one in the world was <i>this</i> good.</p><p>"So, uh," Duncan began. He dropped his computer bag on the couch, "We have a second bedroom, but Fallon uses that as her craft room."</p><p>Erik looked to Fallon for their next move. He couldn’t claim her craft room as his own. That was a sure way to spend a month on the couch. Duncan had thought of Fallon’s likely reaction before deciding.</p><p>Erik would hate the guy, but at this point he was tired. He could hate him for having Fallon when Erik couldn’t. But he couldn't hate Duncan for being a good man to her. While it would make getting her to love him easier if Duncan was so ain't shit deadbeat, it wouldn't make Erik happy.</p><p>He didn't want struggle love for Fallon.</p><p>Sighing, Fallon placed her bag on the hook next to the door, "Just move him in there. I'm gonna go get dinner started." Without looking at either of them, Fallon retreated to the kitchen.</p><p>A second later, Sleigh Ride by the Spice Girls blared from a speaker on top of the fridge.</p><p>"Yeah, let her wind down." Duncan nodded towards the kitchen, "Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes. 45 if she's really frustrated."</p><p>Erik frowned as he stared at Fallon moving about the kitchen. Her long hair went into a messy ponytail and a frilly yellow apron went around her waist. He couldn’t shake the instinct to go to her. Erik wanted to assure her he's not gonna reenact his behavior from last night. He felt that it was important she knew he's not usually like that.</p><p>Duncan picked up the closest of Erik's luggage and started towards the hallway. When he noticed Erik's hesitation, he said, "Seriously, man, give her a minute. When she's ready to talk about it, she'll come to you."</p><p>In Erik’s experience, waiting until Fallon approached you was a sure way to get yelled at then smacked upside the head. But that’s the Fallon of thirteen years ago. Duncan knew this woman they both loved much better than Erik. He was the only one out of both of them that had gotten a ring on her finger.</p><p>Following Duncan’s lead, Erik gathered his bags and followed him down the hallway.</p><p>Walking into Fallon’s craft room felt like entering a secret corner of her mind. This was a space entirely for her. There wasn’t a bit of Duncan to be seen.</p><p>A plush, teal armchair sat on one side of the only window in the room. On the other side sat a patterned couch with a knitted blanket placed neatly along the arm.</p><p>There were knitting projects and baskets of yarn everywhere. The walls housed embroidery hoops filled with cross-stitch flowers. They had replaced the closet doors with curtains. They did little to contain the multiple shelves of craft supplies. Clothes packed tight on the hanging rod made Erik realize the sewing machine on her desk wasn't for show.</p><p>"Was Fallon really into crafts as a kid?" Duncan's voice was muffled. Erik turned to find him lifting the pullout bed from the couch.</p><p>Erik chuckled, "She used to cut up magazines and glue them into her school books. But uh," his eyes caught on the wooden grid holding various craft tools. They looked like torture devices, “Nothing at this level.”</p><p>Duncan finally got the bed fully unfolded. He waved at it, "This is you for the month. We keep linens in the hall closet next to the bathroom. There’s a hamper in the bathroom for dirty laundry. I do the laundry once a week so just let me know if you need anything.”</p><p>On his way out of the room Duncan stopped at the door and turned, "You know where the bathroom is, right?"</p><p>Erik hesitated. Did Duncan know he overheard them last night? There was no secret smile or knowing look in his eyes. Erik studied him a second longer but found nothing suspicious. No, he couldn't have.</p><p>"I'm sure I can figure it out." Erik finally answered.</p><p>Duncan shrugged, "Alrighty then. I'm gonna go hang in the living room. You're welcome to join me."</p><p>Erik sat on the edge of the pullout bed and began unzipping his suitcases.</p><p>"Or just… stay in here." Duncan left with one final knock on the door.</p><p>There wasn’t much room for Erik's things in Fallon’s craft room. After taking out his toothbrush and clothes to sleep in, Erik stored his luggage as out of the way as possible in the cramped space.</p><p>With nothing to do and ample time to kill, Erik studied what was to be his bed for the next week at least. The pullout bed was comfortable, though a few inches too small for him. </p><p>Erik felt weird about snooping through Fallon’s things, so he didn’t linger. He located the sheets and made his bed. That still left him with too much time on his hands. Erik had calls to make and reports to go over, but he’d planned on getting to those tomorrow. But since his options were literally work or hang out with Duncan in the living room.</p><p>Sighing, Erik grabbed the bag that housed his laptop and set to work.</p><p>Duncan came to get him when dinner was ready. He had a big goofy smile on his face when he said, “Fal made bolognese,” he put one hand over his heart, “So if you were wondering, she’s not that mad anymore.”</p><p>Erik huffed, “You know that because she made bolognese?”</p><p>Duncan waggled his eyebrows, “You’ll know as soon as you taste her sauce.”</p><p>Erik shook his head. He kept from laughing at Duncan’s unintentional innuendo, but he couldn’t fight the smile that spread across his face. He was still smiling when they made it to the living room. Fallon was already at the table, setting down a bottle of wine and a steaming serving dish filled with pasta.</p><p>She stared at them suspiciously, but made no comment on their smiles. Pointing at the table, she added, “I just have to grab the salad and the rolls. <i>Then</i> dinner will be served.” As she turned to return to the kitchen, Duncan tried sneaking a forkful of pasta.</p><p>“Duncan Anthony Mathis, if I find one noodle out of place I won’t finish making dessert!”</p><p>Duncan yanked his fork back. At that, Erik actually laughed.</p><p>When Fallon returned, Erik expected to once again feel like a third wheel. He was a guest in the home they built together. Neither one of them treated him like he was intruding or unwelcome. But it reminded Erik of the first weeks staying with his Aunty and Uncle in Wakanda. The warmth and domesticity was foreign to him. He felt like a cog out of place. Erik knew he didn’t belong. He kept waiting for the one thing that would make them send him away.</p><p>The only difference between his childhood and the present was Erik had already done something that should have gotten him sent back home.</p><p>Fallon served everyone; salad, pasta, and a roll for each plate. She asked about Duncan’s work while she moved carefully, never looking in Erik’s direction. Erik bit back his annoyance over her behavior. She was being more than generous. He couldn’t be mad that she was still upset with him. If Duncan had said half the things Erik said, he’d have broken his jaw.</p><p>So Erik was happy with his little plate of pasta. It was better than the alternative.</p><p>"And how was your day sweetheart," Duncan poured wine into all three glasses.</p><p>Fallon’s eyes shifted to Erik, "Maybe work isn't the best topic of discussion tonight."</p><p>Erik shrugged, "I'm not your boss right now. You don't have to censor yourself for my ego."</p><p>Fallon studied him. Eyes narrowed as if she didn't trust him. Erik held still under her stare. He tried to project "I'm not a narc" energy, but he didn’t know if he succeeded.</p><p>When Fallon began speaking, her words were slow, "Mona's been on a rampage ever since you arrived. She's always a little difficult around this time of year, but lately she's been worse."</p><p>Erik tucked into his meal as Fallon’s flow of speech came more naturally. He wanted the old comfort they had. The old trust. He’d failed at that yesterday, but Fallon was giving him a chance to do better. Erik wouldn’t take it for granted.</p><p>"Yeah, before she left for the day she stopped by my office." Duncan sipped his wine, "All the usual threats and insults."</p><p>Fallon made a sympathetic noise and took Duncan’s free hand in her’s, "Oh god, I'm sorry. Was she loud today? I'm switching her to decaf and I think it's been helping."</p><p>Duncan shook his head, "Surprisingly not loud," smiling at Fallon, he added, "Good job, doll."</p><p>"Is Mona usually a bitch to work with." Erik asked.</p><p>They both froze and shared a look. Erik rolled his eyes at their hesitation.</p><p>"This isn't me in boss mode, I'm asking questions to show I was listening." Erik said.</p><p>Fallon smiled at him, the gesture barely there and so quick Erik could convince himself she'd done nothing. But Erik knew Fallon smiled at him. He knew it but he still couldn’t believe it.</p><p>How did he get her to do it again?</p><p>So stuck on Fallon’s smile, Erik missed the first half of Duncan's answer to his question. When he tuned back in Fallon said, "She’s great at what she does, no doubt, but her attitude!"</p><p>They continued to complain about Mona before the conversation moved on to their respective jobs. As an accountant, Duncan handled all the transactions and budgets for the Center. He worked in a team of seven and seemed to like his coworkers, boss, and job more than any man had a right to.</p><p>“So you’d say the comradery of your team helps your work process?” Erik asked. It was the first thing he’d said since his question about Mona earlier.</p><p>Fallon stared at him, but Duncan was still focused on his plate as he talked, “Well yeah, but that’s not all of it. I enjoy our work. We’re helping real people every day. Our work matters. It's hard to take things like that for granted when I can leave my office and see people who benefit from the work we do.” </p><p>Erik absorbed Duncan’s words, questions forming in his head that would benefit his study of the Center. Before he could ask, Fallon stood up and collected their empty plates.</p><p>“I thought you said you weren’t in boss mode?” The question was a gentle tease. As warm as Fallon had spoken to him all evening.</p><p>Like an addict needing a fix, Erik felt his whole body come alive.</p><p>“Aww cut him some slack. If he’s anything like you, he’s probably a workaholic. Let him ask a few questions.” Duncan sat back in his seat, his wineglass poised above his lips.</p><p>Fallon threw him a look over her shoulder, “I am not a workaholic!”</p><p>Duncan snorted, “So if I go to the couch right now I won’t find your work tablet?’</p><p>Silence from the kitchen. Duncan winked at Erik and swallowed the last bit of wine in his glass.</p><p>Erik fought back a smile, “Glad to see some things haven’t changed.”</p><p>Duncan sat up, excitement brightening his entire face, “So this is a Fallon thing? Not a thing she picked up from work?”</p><p>“Oh no,” Erik laughed, “When we were kids she’d create a work schedule when we played with Legos.”</p><p>Fallon returned with three plates of pie balance in her arms. She didn’t set them down when she made it to the table.</p><p>“If we were gonna build a house for our Lego family, we needed to do it before the Lego baby was born!”</p><p>Erik rolled his eyes, “Miss Ashely bought me a pack of Legos to play with on my own, but Fallon would still come over and tell me I was doing it wrong.”</p><p>Scowling, Fallon said, “There’s a picture on the box for a reason! No one looks at a puzzle box and then decides to freehand it.”</p><p>Duncan gently liberated their pie from her death grip, “Of course doll. Now let the pie go…”</p><p>Fallon huffed then sat down, “I’m <i>not</i> a workaholic.”</p><p>Erik smirked, “Sure princess. Can I have a little ice cream for my pie please?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p>
<p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Six was: It's beginning to look a lot like threesomes! Every line I read!</b>
</p>
<p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p>
<p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The morning after Erik’s first night with them, Fallon wakes up with the sense that something’s missing. As usual Duncan’s already out of bed for his morning run. It’s Fallon’s off day, so she’s not expected at work. There were no internal deadlines due. Fallon should have woken up ready to relax. Instead, she lay in her bed listening for the sound of something she couldn’t name if someone asked her.</p>
<p>When she eventually got out of bed, Fallon wandered the apartment in her robe. She heard nothing from Erik’s room as she passed it. Not wanting to linger and be caught, Fallon avoided the back rooms entirely. Instead, she paced her kitchen. Picking up cookbooks only to put them down again. The microwave and dishwasher get an impromptu scrubbing. </p>
<p>Fallon was eyeing the stovetop when Duncan… and Erik, of all people, entered the apartment.</p>
<p>They both wore running gear; shorts, compression shirts, and beat up sneakers. Duncan had one of Fallon’s headbands to keep his hair, a little shaggy now after No Shave November, away from his sweaty face. His skin still flushed from the run, making the freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheekbones standout. Sweat dripped from his beard to the shiny, thick column of his neck.</p>
<p>Fallon literally bit her lip at the sight of him.</p>
<p>Erik was no better. Sweat plastered his shirt to his sculpted torso with sweat. Since she’d seen him, his locs were always braided away from his face. Now they were free to flop at an angle on his head. Some of them fell into his face, framing his sharp cheekbones. He was so sweaty he might as well take his shirt off. </p>
<p>It was on the tip of Fallon’s tongue to say as much when they both turned to stare at her.</p>
<p>“Why are you looking at us like that?” Erik cocked his head ever so slightly. His locs cascaded into his eyes, forcing him to push them back with one chiseled arm.</p>
<p>Duncan lifted his legs, “Shit, did I track mud into the house again?”</p>
<p>He turned unsuccessfully to see the bottom of shoe while standing up. From this angle, Fallon had a perfect view of his ass. Perfect, rounded, and firm, Duncan’s ass was one of the sexiest things about him. If there was a beauty pageant for cheeks, Duncan would win America’s Ass every year.</p>
<p>“Fallon?” Duncan asked. Erik waved a hand in front of her face.</p>
<p>Shaking herself, Fallon tightened her robe, “I’m gonna…” Blinking rapidly, Fallon speed walked out of the kitchen, went around the coffee table so she wouldn’t have to get close to them.”</p>
<p>She froze in the hallway. If she went into her bedroom, Duncan could come in at any minute. And she couldn’t go to her craft room and shut Erik away from his things. He’d need clothes after he showered off all that sweat.</p>
<p>
  <i>Fuck, who thought this was a good idea!</i>
</p>
<p>Tightening her robe further, Fallon sped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.</p>
<p>Her heart thudded against her ribcage. Her ears rang. Shaking out her fingers, Fallon took her phone out of her robe’s pocket and texted the one person she knew would be up.</p>
<p>“Hey! Yeah… you wanna get brunch?”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Liyah King, unfortunately no relation, greeted Fallon with a happy, distracted wave when she approached her table. She was sucking down something pink and fruity while eyeing their server through her eyelashes.</p>
<p>Fallon had known Liyah as long as she’d known Erik. She was another lifer in Ms. Ashley’s house, like Fallon. They weren’t related in any way, but Fallon liked to think of Liyah as the sister she’d never had. Despite living separate lives, they attempted to see each other often. It was a little hard because of their focus on their careers, but they always made time for each other.</p>
<p>"Hey thanks for meeting me. Nicole said she'll be a little late, but she'd be here." Fallon settled in the seat across from Liyah and ordered water.</p>
<p>Liyah wrinkled her nose, "Don't be boring. Get what I'm having!"</p>
<p>Fallon squinted at it, "What are you having?"</p>
<p>Liyah shrugged and sucked hard on her straw, "I don't know but it's delicious. This is only my second one and I already have a buzz."</p>
<p>Fallon frowned. To the server she said, "Make that two waters." Fallon ignored the hurt noise Liyah made.</p>
<p>As soon as the server left, Fallon jumped right into it. She wanted to wait for Nicole, but since the start of her pregnancy there was always a 50/50 chance she'd actually show up. Fallon needed to get this off her chest now.</p>
<p>"Erik's back in California."</p>
<p>Liyah didn't look bothered by this news, "Yeah, you said he was visiting the Center for something. Did you run into him?"</p>
<p>"Worse, he hopped into the elevator I was sharing with Duncan and asked me to dinner."</p>
<p>Liyah choked on her drink. She coughed and sputtered while trying to set her glass down and grab a napkin.</p>
<p>"What!"</p>
<p>"Yep," Fallon popped the 'p', "And then while we were at dinner he got drunk and started asking me why we weren't together-"</p>
<p>"As if it isn't his fucking fault!"</p>
<p>"Exactly!" Fallon cried. She continued, filling Liyah in on the whole dinner. From their battle over the menu to his remarks against Duncan.</p>
<p>"So then what happened? Did you cry? Did he cry? Did you finally smack him for me?" Liyah bounced in her seat.</p>
<p>Fallon shook her head, deflating a little in her seat, "No, no, and no. He apologized. He even kinda apologized to Duncan."</p>
<p>Liyah's face scrunched up, "That's it? He breaks your heart, shows up thirteen years later like he hadn't devastated you, and now it's okay?"</p>
<p>Fallon shrugged. "It's not <i>okay</i>. But I think it's been about thirteen years, so I should get over it. It's not like my life ended and I can't blame him for something he did as a teenager.”</p>
<p>Liyah shook her head, "Girl is he fucking you under the table or-"</p>
<p>"Liyah!" Fallon looked around to make sure no one had heard her.</p>
<p>"Does he have a wire on you or what! You sound way too reasonable right now." Liyah snapped her fingers, "You sound just like Duncan."</p>
<p>Fallon rolled her eyes, "Because I'm trying to be reasonable?"</p>
<p>Liyah snorted, "Sure, reasonable. Reasonable would be stringing Erik along for years and the right as he's going to propose, you dump him in a public place."</p>
<p>Fallon shook her head. Luckily, their server reappeared with the drinks so it forced Liyah to stay quiet. They put off ordering until Nicole arrived. Once the server left, Liyah leaned forward and spoke in a hushed, but still loud whisper. </p>
<p>“So like, how’s Duncan feeling about all this? Old love returns. A childhood friend comes back out of the blue? That’s a Hallmark movie if I ever heard one.”</p>
<p>Fallon took a sip of water to stall before answering. Duncan said he was fine with everything. He was the one who offered their home to Erik. It was Duncan pushing her to reconcile with him. Fallon couldn’t think of any other man that would work so hard to repair his woman’s relationship with another man. She’d like to believe he was as fine as he seemed. But Fallon couldn’t say she’d handle the same situation in his shoes.</p>
<p>Nicole arrived, Mikayla in tow, before Fallon could form an answer. They were color coordinated from the light blue denim shirts to the bright white sneakers. Nicole’s denim dress billowed in the wind as she sped, one hand on her belly to their table. She arrived at their table with loud squeals and air kisses that never seemed to land anywhere near them. Liyah and Fallon tried to return her greeting, but Nicole was already turning away, her eyes searching for a seat.</p>
<p>Mikayla dragged a chair from the nearest table and offered it to her wife.</p>
<p>“Hey, hi, hello! Sorry I’m late,” Nicole placed a hand on her belly as she lowered herself into the chair Mikayla found.</p>
<p>“All's forgiven now that Mikayla is here,” Liyah cooed. She eyed Nicole’s wife while playing with her straw, “Hey Mrs. Moss, you lookin' mighty fine in that vest today.”</p>
<p>Mikayla laughed and ducked her head. Nicole glared at Liyah, “Haha, watch yourself, friend.”</p>
<p>Mikayla rubbed a soothing hand down Nicole’s back, “I’m good Liyah. Can’t join y’all today. I got a meeting in Culver City,” with a parting kiss on Nicole's cheek, she left.</p>
<p>“Bye, Mrs. Moss!” Liyah waved at Mikayla’s back.</p>
<p>The server arrived with rolls and menus for the table. As soon as he set the basket down, Nicole snatched one out and threw it at Liyah.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Fallon snatched the basket out of Nicole’s reach.</p>
<p>Nicole ignored her. Pointing at Liyah, she said, “You better stop flirting with my wife, now.”</p>
<p>Liyah laughed, “I’m just playin’. I’m not tryna steal your fine ass studsband.”</p>
<p>Nicole continued to glare, unconvinced. With a sigh, Fallon addressed the server, “We’ll have another round of waters and we’re gonna need a minute before we order.”</p>
<p>Liyah and Nicole managed not to assault each other with bread long enough for Fallon to catch Nicole up in her drama. The server returned twice, once to take their orders, and a second time to drop off their food. Once he left for good, Nicole turned towards Fallon.</p>
<p>“And Duncan’s just… okay with this?”</p>
<p>“He invited him to stay with us! For a month!” Fallon replied.</p>
<p>Liyah, cheeks full, hmm’d from her side of the table. Once she swallowed her food, she used her fork to point at Fallon, “You know if Duncan wanted to set up a three-way situation, I’m right here.”</p>
<p>Fallon made a face.</p>
<p>Nicole gagged, “Are you sure you can fit them in between all your ‘clients’.”</p>
<p>Liyah gave her a big, fake smile, “Yeah, I’ll just give them the time slot I have saved for your fine ass wife.”</p>
<p>Nicole lunged for the bread basket, but Fallon was quicker. Fallon had it off the table and in the air. Just out of reach from the violent pregnant lady. She turned and set it on an empty table nearby.</p>
<p>“You’ll get this back when you can behave.” Fallon glared at them both and received only eye rolls in return.</p>
<p>“Now, Liyah. First, Ew, you know you’re like a sister to me. Second, I don’t think Duncan would be into something like that.”</p>
<p>Nicole’s head cocked, “And you would?”</p>
<p>Fallon’s cheeks went hot. That was not what she’d meant to imply. Not that… You know what? Let’s not follow that thought train.</p>
<p>“I didn’t mean it like that!” Fallon shot her a look, softly she continued, “I just meant Duncan’s a white boy from Minnesota. All he knows is white picket fences and two point five kids with a dog. Duncan could never…” Fallon shook her head.</p>
<p>Liyah and Nicole hmm’d in unison and took a loud sip from their drinks. Fallon rolled her eyes. She knew judgement when she heard it.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Fallon groaned, “Let me hear it.”</p>
<p>“I’m just saying it’s always the ones you never expect. And I told you when you first started bringing him around he had BDE and you needed to lock that down accordingly-”</p>
<p>“I like to think of it as the last act of an aging soon-to-be ex wife. Instead of fighting the fun young thing your husband wants to sleep with. <i>You</i> bring her into your bed and make it a ‘couple’ thing. Takes all the fun out of cheating. Although-”</p>
<p>Liyah and Nicole talked over each other excitedly. Fallon could hardly hear them, so she let the sounds of their words fall all over her. In the back of her mind, she questioned whether this was better than spending the day in the apartment with Erik and Duncan.</p>
<p>A flash of their taut bodies and sweaty skin had Fallon hot all over. Fanning herself, she took a generous sip of the cocktail Liyah insisted she order.</p>
<p>Nope. No. This was better. Much better.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p>
<p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Seven was: She’s ‘doll’ AND ‘princess’ now 😏 (tumblr comment)</b>
</p>
<p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p>
<p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fallon was out of the apartment for three hours by the time Erik brought himself to join Duncan in the living room. He didn’t know what to do with himself in their home. This morning Duncan surprised Erik when he invited him to join his run. He hadn’t known what to expect from it, but a thirty-minute run around the neighborhood wasn’t it. Thankfully, Duncan wasn’t a chatty runner. Erik could put his head down and do the miles without interruption.</p>
<p>When they got back, he’d planned on thanking Duncan, but Fallon acted so strangely when they returned he forgot. By the time he remembered, the moment passed.</p>
<p>Erik didn’t know what to do with Duncan. Ideally, Erik would spend time with Fallon. Between the two of them, Duncan seemed willing to be around Erik. Which is more than he could say about Fallon. But how do you hang out with your rival for a woman’s love? Erik didn’t have any white friends. What could they possibly talk about?</p>
<p>Duncan was watching a movie on the couch, Erik was finally bored enough to join him in the living room. A sweating beer sat on a coaster on the coffee table, and a huge popcorn bowl took up his lap. Erik couldn’t see what he was watching until he made it to the center of the living room. As soon as he saw what was on the screen, he chuckled.</p>
<p>“Key and Peele?”</p>
<p>Duncan shot him a quick smile before his eyes returned to the screen, “Fallon and I saw Get Out and Us in theaters. They hooked me on Jordan Peele’s work ever since.”</p>
<p>Impressed, Erik joined him on the couch. On screen, the show was obviously in one of the later seasons. No longer did Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele talk to an audience. They were in a Buick driving down an empty road in a seemingly endless desert. They bantered before each sketch, always in that car. The sketch that followed was vaguely related to their banter as usual.</p>
<p>Without thought, Erik made himself comfortable on the couch and settled into the episode. Duncan offered him the popcorn as they watched. When he got up to replace his beer, he asked Erik if he’d like one too.</p>
<p>Erik wrinkled his nose, “What’re you drinkin’? I can’t just be drinking any old beer.”</p>
<p>Duncan hummed, “I know what you mean. We keep a few bottles of Heineken around for Fallon, but if you tell me your usual tastes, I’m sure I could find something you like.”</p>
<p>Duncan led the way to the kitchen, throwing his beer bottle in recycling along the way.</p>
<p>“I still can’t believe Fallon of all people drinks beer.” Erik commented.</p>
<p>Duncan opened the fridge, his voice slightly muffled as he asked, “So she used to not like beer?”</p>
<p>“She never told you this?”</p>
<p>Duncan handed Erik a dark beer bottle. He grabbed one for himself then shut the fridge door, “I mean early in our relationship I noticed she never drank it but I didn’t think it as a ‘thing’ or whatever.”</p>
<p>Smirking, Erik told Duncan the story of Fallon’s first high school party. She got fucked up on shitty beer mixed with who knows what else. Teenagers only really care about getting drunk, and Fallon got wasted. She was hungover for three days and swore to never drink beer again.</p>
<p>“She wrote to me once that she had bread from the renaissance fair that tasted like beer and gagged for the rest of the day.” As he spoke, Erik took a sip of his own beer. Surprised, he smacked his lips, “Shit, this is kinda good.”</p>
<p>Duncan raised his eyebrows in agreement, unable to speak with his own beer against his lips. Erik took another sip, allowing the liquid to spread across his taste buds. It was rich and chocolaty. Stronger than the piss-like pale ales usually available to Erik during his travels.</p>
<p>“I get it from a local brewery down in Long Beach. Fallon and I ran across them during a food festival.” Duncan tapped his bottle with one finger, “These are Fallon’s favorite. She’ll take a few bottles of this with some fruit and cheese and have a spa day in our bathroom.”</p>
<p>Erik smiled at that, “So she still does spa days? Nice to see she’s graduated from Lunchables and apple juice.”</p>
<p>Duncan laughed mid sip of his beer, sending foam all over his chin and shirt front. Erik jumped and ran away to escape the spray, laughing all the while.</p>
<p>Fallon didn’t return to the house until hours later, tipsy and curious over their activities for the day. Erik didn’t know how to tell her he’d spent all day with her fiancé talking about her. They had little in common except for their love for her. But between talking about her they Duncan and Erik found a lot of common ground over movies and tv.</p>
<p>They both enjoyed Key and Peele and John Wick. But that wasn’t nearly as interesting to talk about as Fallon. Duncan knew so much about the new Fallon and Erik had all this info on who she used to be. Together they spent hours waxing poetic without trying to wax poetic about their girl.</p>
<p>“So y’all played nice all day, and I missed it?” Fallon asked. Her eyes were closed, and she slumped on the couch. Duncan sat at her side, her foot in his lap as he untied her shoes.</p>
<p>Erik sat on the arm of the couch, as close as he dared to tipsy Fallon King.</p>
<p>He shared a laugh with Duncan over the slight whine to her voice, “You the one who ran out of here.”</p>
<p>Fallon pouted, eyes still closed, “Cause y’all were all-” She raised her hand in the air and wiggled her fingers. Then she let her arm drop, “I needed to escape.”</p>
<p>Laughing, Erik asked, “Escape what, Fallon?”</p>
<p>Fallon did the hand motion again, this time her movements were so sloppy she nearly smacked herself in the face when she let her arm drop.</p>
<p>Duncan got both shoes off and nodded to Erik, “Help me get her to bed. She’s gonna wanna sleep this one off.”</p>
<p>Erik’s smile faded. <i>He wanted him to what now?</i></p>
<p>“I’m sure you got it, playboy. I’ll just head to the-”</p>
<p>Duncan shook his head. He was on his feet now, and coaxing Fallon into the crook of his arms, “I can’t hold her and move the covers back. “</p>
<p>Duncan raised to his full height, lifting Fallon to rest against his chest. Erik stood frozen, staring at them both. Fallon’s head had fallen neatly into the crook of Duncan’s neck and shoulder. Duncan didn’t seem to strain to hold her at all. The embrace looked natural, comfortable. Erik had to force himself to look away.</p>
<p>“Fine, I guess,” he said eventually.</p>
<p>Duncan nodded for Erik to lead the way, so he did. Butterflies filled his stomach when they entered the dark hallway. Erik was about to go into their bedroom. Seeing Fallon’s craft room had been hard enough because it was obviously her safe space. Her bedroom, like the rest of the apartment, was a space she shared with Duncan. Only so much more intimate.</p>
<p>Their bedroom was dark when Erik pushed the door open. He wanted to keep it that way, less for him to see. Less chance of him seeing something that would totally ruin his otherwise good mood.</p>
<p>“Hey man, can you hit the switch? She’s out so it won’t bother her.”</p>
<p>Erik bit back a frustrated sigh. So much for that idea.</p>
<p>The light switch was too easy to find for Erik’s tastes. All too soon, the bedroom flooded with light. Against his will, Erik’s eyes traveled the space. Taking in everything and filing it away to obsess over later.</p>
<p>Their bed was enormous, a queen or a king-size at least. A mirror above their dresser faced their bed, drawing to mind all kinds of inappropriate thoughts in Erik’s head. French doors led to a tiny balcony on one wall. The other wall housed their closet. Like the closet in Fallon’s craft room, they had replaced the doors with curtains. It bulged with clothes and shoes that were obviously Fallon’s.</p>
<p>Erik wondered where Duncan kept his clothes if Fallon's shit took over both closets.</p>
<p>“Can I get a hand here or what?” Duncan huffed.</p>
<p>While Erik was distracted, he’d made it to the bed and now stood there with Fallon in his arms. Erik jumped and started towards the bed. He went to the opposite side and flipped back the top sheet and duvet.</p>
<p>Duncan smoothly laid Fallon on the bed, moving his arms away from her body only once she’d turned into the pillows and mattress. Together, Duncan and Erik covered her in the blanket. Erik’s heart swelled when Fallon snuggled deeper into the pillows with a sigh.</p>
<p>Next to him Duncan began rifling through the bedside table, but Erik only had eyes for Fallon. Asleep, she looked younger. Softer. Maybe it's because she wasn’t glaring or rolling her eyes at him. With the blankets pulled high around her neck, she looked cozy and inviting. Erik wanted to slip under the covers with her. Share her warmth and scent between the sheets.</p>
<p>Duncan shut the bedside table drawer and dangled a bonnet from his fingers, “Should have put this on her before I laid her down,” To Erik he said, “Give me a hand?”</p>
<p>Erik didn’t even try to protest this time. Together, Duncan and Erik lifted Fallon’s torso from the bed and slipped the bonnet over her head. Erik kept her upright while Duncan tucked all of her hair into the bonnet. When they moved her, Fallon didn’t wake up once. She snuggled into the sheets as soon as they laid her back down.</p>
<p>“Wow, she’s really out,” Erik remarked. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.</p>
<p>Duncan chuckled and rounded the bed, “Brunch with Liyah and Nicole is always like this.”</p>
<p>Nodding, Duncan led the way out of the room. Erik switched the light off as he passed, covering Fallon in total darkness.</p>
<p>In the hallway, Duncan continued, “Liyah and Nicole are like the little devil and angel on your shoulder. Only for Fallon they’re both demons.”</p>
<p>Erik shot him a look, but Duncan looked totally unbothered by the words that left his mouth.</p>
<p>“If you say so, man.”</p>
<p>They both went down the hallway to the living room. Duncan settled with ease on the couch and grabbed the remote. Erik, hesitated. It was the end of the day now. Erik could eat and head to bed with no problem. The only reason he’d hung out with Duncan was because Fallon wasn’t here. Now she was here, but Erik knew she’d be less than good company at the moment.</p>
<p>What reason did he have to hang out with Duncan? They didn’t have to be friends because of Fallon. Erik wasn’t even sure if Fallon still wanted him around. Buddying up with Duncan would get him nothing.</p>
<p>“Hey there’s a Rocky marathon,” Duncan looked to Erik, eyebrows raised, “You in?”</p>
<p>Well, Erik conceded, it was a Rocky marathon. He couldn’t pass that up.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure. Wanna get the popcorn and beers?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p> </p><p>  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Nine was: Did we just become best friends? Yep!</b></p><p> </p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fallon struggled to wake up the morning after brunch. Liyah drank like a fish and Nicole egged her on since she can’t drink the way she wants to. Although they were all members of the Short Girl Gang, alcohol seemed to hit Fallon much harder than the two of them.</p><p>She cursed when she opened her eyes to bright light and cheery, chirping birds.</p><p>“Ah, she’s awake!”</p><p>“‘Bout time. Was startin’ to think she would sleep the day away.”</p><p>Fallon groaned as the voices, too loud and too happy for the pounding in her skull, came closer.</p><p>She reached for a pillow and threw it at the closet voice. There was no satisfying thud. Instead, they both laughed at her. Like she was a child. If Fallon were any less hungover, she’d take offense to that. Throwing that pillow took a lot of her strength so she couldn’t be as indignant as she liked.</p><p>Fallon settled for burying further under the covers. Away from the light and away from the laughing men.</p><p>“No, no, no. Wakey wakey Fallon. Do you know what day it is?” Duncan, suddenly on her side of the bed, spoke dangerously close to the hole she’d made in the blankets for air.</p><p>If only she didn’t need to breathe.</p><p>Fallon groaned, “It’s the day I leave you for messing with me when I’m hungover.”</p><p>Erik laughed, “Aww, she still has weak ass threats.”</p><p>Duncan and Erik laughed together yet again. Fallon wanted to curse them both out, “When did y’all suddenly become friends?”</p><p>“When you ditched us to hang out with your homegirls.” Erik spoke this time. The bed dipped on the other side. Fallon had the ridiculous thought that he’d climbed into bed with her, but dismissed it immediately. As bold as Erik was, Duncan was right there. He wouldn’t allow that.</p><p>Speaking of Duncan…</p><p>Fallon strained her ears, listening for the sound of her fiancé and former best friend. If her head would stop pounding for a second, maybe she could hear something beyond her own breathing.</p><p>Without warning, they whipped the blanket off her head and then completely off her body. Cold slapped Fallon’s aching skin. Goosebumps rose all over her skin. Above her, Duncan and Erik had her blanket and the top sheet in their arms.</p><p>“Run, run!” Duncan hopped off the bed with a loud thud. He nearly loses his balance but doesn’t stop running.</p><p>Erik, a second behind him, jumps off the bed almost silently. He had more control over his speed and was out the door before Duncan. They narrowly missed colliding into each other in their haste to escape. But they get away. Leaving Fallon, cold and annoyed, in bed.</p><p>“I’ll let you both starve, for this!” Fallon yelled after them.</p><p>Duncan and Erik’s cackles were their only response.</p><p>With her blankets gone, all hope Fallon had of sinking back into the safe darkness left. She sat up, slowly. Her aching head makes all movement a challenge. She could hear Duncan and Erik celebrating their victory in the living room.</p><p>Fallon got off the bed carefully. She vowed to get them back. Even if it was the last thing she did.</p><p>A shower, some coffee, and half a loaf of bread later, Fallon felt a little more human. Despite her rude awakening by the two boys in men’s bodies, Fallon was in a good mood. Duncan had been right to wake her up early, even if he’d been an asshole about it.</p><p>It was Tree Day. Probably the second greatest day of the year, in Fallon’s opinion. She’d put off all other decorating to wait for this day. Unlike most years, Fallon didn’t have a theme already in mind for her decorations this year. Duncan had sweetly suggested she didn’t need a theme, but Fallon let him know that they are a Themed Christmas family so he needed to get on board now before they had children.</p><p>Duncan and Erik were in the living room now, standing and staring at a football game on the screen with serious expressions on their faces. A chill swept through California overnight, so they were both dressed in their warmest clothes. Fallon watched them talk from her spot in the kitchen, amazed that in a matter of hours they had somehow become something approaching friends.</p><p>It was Duncan’s doing, Fallon knew. Erik was as ornery and particular as they come, but he wasn’t heartless. Their friendship began because Fallon refused to leave Erik alone. Like young Fallon, Duncan was tenacious and observant. He’d probably figured out Erik’s whole deal that first night during dinner. And now the two of them were terrorizing her when she was at her weakest.</p><p>Why did that make her want to smile?</p><p>Ibuprofen took care of Fallon’s headache, so she moved around the kitchen with ease. Lunch for the day out, and a thermos full of her latest hot chocolate experiment went into a travel bag. Fallon was looking for just the right consistency of rich, milky chocolate with a diverse flavor profile.</p><p>The sweet, hot drink would keep their spirits and energy up while the pb &amp; j pulled pork sandwiches would be a filling meal for her two helpers today. And they would need it, Fallon planned on putting them to work today.</p><p>“Alright, here are the ground rules for those of us not used to a Fallon King Christmas,” Fallon projected her voice into the living room, snapping Duncan and Erik out of their dead stare at the tv.</p><p>Erik cocked an eyebrow when he turned to face her, “Ground rules? I thought we were just going to go pick out a tree or some shit.”</p><p>Duncan bit his lip and crossed his arms over his chest. He was fighting off a smile.</p><p>With a laugh Fallon shook her head, “I’ll let that slide ‘cause you’re new here. And you’ve been royal so long you’re probably not used to being put to work. So,” the smile dropped and her expression turned serious, “Here are the ground rules.”</p><p>Fallon cultivated the rules, her tenets of life, in the years following her time with Ms. Ashley. Being an orphan during the Christmas season was a near daily reminder of the things she did not have. A mother, a father, siblings. She didn’t have the “family” that all brands made their core theme for holiday advertising.</p><p>When she was younger, Fallon was very bitter about this. As she aged and spent many more orphan Christmas’ all on her lonesome, she compiled the perfect formula for an Adult Christmas that would put all her childhood wishes to shame.</p><p>“Now the tree has to be young enough to survive until New Year, at which point we will recycle it. Don’t worry about that part I know a guy,” Fallon added when Erik opened his mouth. Before he could try to speak again, she continued.</p><p>“There will be Christmas dishes and Christmas Dinner dishes. We shall only use the Christmas Dinner dishes for Christmas dinner. We will eat all other meals that are Christmas themed on the Christmas dishes.”</p><p>“What’s the fuckin’ difference?” Erik raised his hand, then spoke without waiting to be called on.</p><p>At his side Duncan shook his head, “It's really better if you wait until the end to ask questions.”</p><p>Erik shot him a look, “I’m just tryna figure out the difference.”</p><p>Sighing, Fallon continued as if there’d been no interruption at all. They were only two ground rules in and he was already losing focus. She could see he’d be the more difficult of her helpers.</p><p>“Christmas Dinner dishes are specifically for the meal I’ll be making for all of us on Christmas Day. It’s a special set of dishes, there will be photographs of my plate setting, end of discussion.”</p><p>Erik raised his hands in mock surrender, “My bad, then I guess.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes at him, then continued. All decorations put up by Fallon and Fallon will take them down by. They will not take the tree down until all of her decorations are carefully repacked and returned to her crafts closet. With each rule Fallon listed, Erik made a face. He cocked his eyebrows and bit back smiles.</p><p>Still, Fallon continued. It was important to her he understood that she made these rules not to be controlling but to help them. If they could assure Fallon’s happiness, they could ensure their peace.</p><p>Erik seemed to catch on to that soon enough and stopped interrupting her to ask questions.</p><p>The ride to the tree lot was a quiet one. Duncan drove and Fallon opted to sit in the backseat so the two new friends could chat with ease. They carried on a conversation about horror movies that Fallon couldn’t contribute to if she wanted to. Instead, she sang along to The Puppini Sisters’ cover of Last Christmas by Wham and scrolled through Pinterest for ideas.</p><p>When they made it to the lot Fallon had a color scheme (gold, green, and white) and a recipe for potatoes she couldn’t wait to whip up for dinner that night.</p><p>Duncan held Fallon’s door open and helped her step down from the car. Hand in hand, they joined Erik where he stood at the back of the car.</p><p>“Alright then Fallon, show me how to shop for a Christmas tree.” Erik smirked as he spoke.</p><p>Fallon knew he was teasing her, but jokes on him because the scent of pine in the air had her much too happy to let it bother her.</p><p>“Okay, it’ll go quicker if we split up. I need you both to look for dense trees with sturdy branches. Those’ll be the ones good for decorating.” Erik and Duncan saluted her. Together they started off towards the tree lot.</p><p>Then she remembered, “Also pay attention to the scent! I want something that will smell good as the weeks go on. If you see a tree you like, give it a little shake. If any of the needles come off, move on. I can’t spend the rest of the month sweeping.”</p><p>“Got it, doll,” Duncan called over his shoulder.</p><p>“Anything else, Princess?” Erik turned and walked backwards to maintain eye contact with her, “Want us to give the branches a massage? Get their resume from the tree niggas?”</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Fallon flipped him off. This just made him cackle.</p><p>Fallon took her time walking through the tree lot. She loved the company that set these up and bought a tree from them every year. They were a small, family run business, so Fallon felt good buying from them. It helped that they offered delivery and disposal services. Best of all though, they didn’t have sellers all in your face trying to upsell you.</p><p>No, here it was all about the Christmas spirit, and Fallon loved it.</p><p>The first rows of trees were cute but small. Fallon might have bought them back when she was single. Duncan always went back to Minnesota to be with his family, so Fallon was on her own for Christmas cheer. This year they might have a guest. Erik had said he’d leave once a new room could be arranged for him, but Fallon wouldn’t mind sharing her Christmas. He was nothing like the rude drunk from Carne, she could see that now.</p><p>This Erik was trying to get along with Duncan, he teased and made fun of her just like when they were kids, his behavior made Fallon wish they could have done all this in their twenties. A part of her was fine with how everything turned out. Without the heartbreak Erik caused, Fallon would have never had the courage to move to Downtown LA. She wouldn’t have met Duncan or Nicole.</p><p>Fallon wouldn’t trade any of the things she experienced while they were apart for the world, she just wished he could have been there for some of it.</p><p>“Hey Fal,” Duncan ran up, cheeks red and eyes so bright Fallon’s chest hurt. He slid on the gravel beneath his feet when he tried to stop in front of her. He gripped her hips tight for balance. Laughing, Fallon helped him get steady.</p><p>“Yes, Duncan? What is so exciting you nearly take us both down?” Fallon dusted off spare pin needles.</p><p>Beaming Duncan pointed, “Erik found the perfect tree. You’re gonna love it.”</p><p>Fallon gave him a dubious look, “Are we talking about the same Erik Stevens?”</p><p>Duncan rolled his eyes, “C’mon you gotta see it.” Without waiting for her response, Duncan dropped to his knees and tugged Fallon towards his back.</p><p>She sighed dramatically as she climbed onto his back to let him know he was doing too much. But once his back was to her, she smiled brightly. Fallon hopped on Duncan’s back. She barely had time to tighten her grip around his neck when he launched to his feet.</p><p>“Oh, Duncan!” Fallon laughed. She scrambled to tighten her legs.</p><p>Duncan rolled his shoulders, gripped her thighs, and set off. He ran at top speed, uphill no less, while Fallon was helplessly laughing. She had to squeeze to stay on he moved so wildly. Bucking like a bull underneath her and making noises that had the other shoppers staring at them. When they made it to Erik, he was shaking his head at them.</p><p>“I heard y’all before you even rounded the corner.”</p><p>Duncan shrugged, “Wanna switch?”</p><p>Fallon stopped laughing abruptly. She looked at Duncan like he was crazy. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Erik, too afraid of what he might say. Duncan insisted he was in love with her, but Duncan was also a romantic. It was one thing she loved about him, but sometimes it was too much. Like now. What could he possibly hope to gain by putting them in this situation?</p><p>Fallon turned to Erik, careful to not look in his eyes, “You don’t have t-”</p><p>“Sure, hand her over.”</p><p>Fallon’s jaw clicked when her mouth slammed shut. <i>What did he say?</i></p><p>Before she could do anything, Duncan and Erik were arranging themselves to transfer Fallon’s body from one to the other. They were both strong enough to hold her with no struggle, so it was ridiculously easy to switch from Duncan’s wide back to Erik’s much more muscular frame. Whereas Duncan had a layer of softness form their years together, Erik had the hard, taut body of an in demand bachelor.</p><p>Thoughts of the assistant group chat, and all the theories and thirsting flashed in Fallon’s mind. Her entire body went hot. It took several minutes for her to realize they’d started walking again, and Duncan was talking.</p><p>“It’s called a Noble Fir, and it’s perfect. Blue-green and bushy with all that density crap you were talking about.” Duncan turned and beamed at Fallon for half a second. Then his eyes were back on the tree. Not nearly long enough for her to convey how thoroughly aware and awkward she felt this close to Erik Stevens.</p><p>The last time she’d been this close to him had been at her prom. Fallon had been sure she wouldn’t go until he showed up in a tailored suit and a corsage. She could definitively say that was the start of her suit kink (though Duncan had done little to discourage it). They’d danced all night while the students at her school lost their minds over the literal Prince of Wakanda at their prom.</p><p>After the prom, they took a walk around the hotel gardens and held hands. Fallon had wanted him to kiss her so badly. She’d wished for it, actually. It was all she could think about and now all she could remember from that night. Erik never kissed her. </p><p>After taking her home, Erik hugged her close and said, “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, Fallon. Thank you for going to the prom with me.”</p><p>And then a few months later… devastation.</p><p>Erik’s hands under Fallon’s thighs squeezed twice. He nodded towards the tree, “What do you think? Did I match Fallon King’s impossible standards?”</p><p>Fallon leaned around his head to look at the tree they’d brought her to. Duncan stood next to it and the branches nearly swallowed his side. It was tall, taller than both men actually, and wide all around. It wasn’t as conical as other trees, but it's even oval-ish shape worked well for the decorations Fallon had in mind.</p><p>“Get me closer, let me smell it.” Fallon kicked her legs into Erik’s side.</p><p>He huffed, but wordlessly brought her closer to the tree. Fallon could lean into the tree without strain. Its scent was rich, woodsy, and made her nose tingle in the best way.</p><p>“So, what do you think, sweetheart?” Duncan prompted.</p><p>Fallon agreed with him, Erik had found the perfect tree. But she couldn’t fan Erik’s ego like that. He’d only just started acting like a normal person. She didn’t want him to regress.</p><p>“It’ll do.” Fallon shrugged.</p><p>Erik shook her, “Oh it’ll do huh?” Fallon giggled and gripped his shoulder’s tight for balance, “That’s all I get after I-”</p><p>Erik started galloping through the rows of trees as if he were trying to buck her off. Fallon laughed helplessly, holding on for dear life as he spun and jumped and nearly threw her off his back.</p><p>“Duncan!” Fallon cried between her giggles.</p><p>“Baby, I’m comin’!” Duncan called back.</p><p>He began chasing Erik, which just made the bucking worse. Duncan tried running ahead and cutting him off from another row, but Erik juked him. The move nearly sent Fallon flying to the gravel. Duncan caught her torso in time. But now she was hanging between these two men by her arms and legs. Fallon tried to loosen her legs from around Erik’s back, but he gripped her calves.</p><p>“Hey, D, she ever make you sit through those Bring It On movies?” Erik called. </p><p>Fallon froze. <i>He wouldn’t</i>, she thought. <i>He can’t. Duncan won’t let him</i>, she hoped.</p><p>“You talking about the fierce rivalry between the West Coast Sharks and the East Coast Jets?” Duncan asked.</p><p>Fallon struggled in their grip, but it got her nowhere. She was stuck between them.</p><p>“I will scream if you don’t put me down.” Fallon twisted her torso and kicked her legs. Duncan and Erik laughed but thankfully didn’t start throwing her around like a 90 pound cheerleader.</p><p>Instead, they started swinging her. This time, Fallon didn’t warn them. She screamed.</p><p> </p><p>Later, after Duncan and Erik carried the tree to the car, then up the stairs to the apartment, Fallon forgave them. She made them a dinner of beef stew. While leftover rolls warmed in the oven, Fallon directed Erik and Duncan’s tree placement. She made them move incrementally left until the tree pressed Erik against the wall. They finally “found” the perfect spot right before the timer for dinner went off.</p><p>They silenced all grumbling in favor of eating. The sandwiches from lunch had been nice, but the trio was ravenous after their trip to the tree lot. Erik puts away three bowls and six rolls. Duncan's right behind him with two bowls and the seven rolls Erik hadn’t snagged off the baking sheet. Fallon watched in amazement as two grown men tucked into their stew like it was their last meal. </p><p>At a certain point, Duncan gave up on spoons entirely. He tore butter rolls with his bare hands and swiped them through the bowl, tipping it up to his mouth for the chunks of meat, carrot, and potato.</p><p>Erik created a stew, dinner roll, sandwich and had at least one in his mouth at all times. His cheeks bulged. Fallon’s own stew grew cold. She handed them both napkins, but they weren’t needed. Not a drop of stew missed their mouths.</p><p>Once they were both finished, Erik sat on the couch and claimed he’d rest his eyes before helping Duncan with the dishes. He was snoring five minutes later.  </p><p>Fallon hurried to their bedroom as soon as she finished eating. Her body felt hot all over, alive and throbbing at her core. She had to press her legs together as she undressed. After turning the light off, she slipped under the cool sheets. The stark temperature change raised goosebumps on her skin and pebbled her nipples. Fallon strained across the sheets towards the second drawer on her bedside table.</p><p>She rarely had a reason to reach for her old friend. But the need in Fallon’s skin made her impatient. She couldn’t wait for Duncan this time.</p><p>“Kitchen’s all clean, do- Oh. Hello,” Duncan paused for as long as it took him to connect Fallon’s goal to the lust in his eyes. Without another word, he slid his shirt over his head and kicked off his jeans.</p><p>Biting her lip, Fallon turned and made room for him in the bed. As soon as he slipped between the sheets, Fallon slid close. She wrapped her arms around him, pleased to feel the slight pudge where his usual six pack would be. Duncan rolled his eyes when he realized what she was doing.</p><p>“Sweetheart, you have some weird kinks. God do I love you.” With one hand he turned her face towards his and kissed her deep.</p><p>Fallon sank into him. Melted like butter into the sheets as his lips caressed hers. His tongue sought entry into her mouth, and once granted, gently took her apart. Fallon strained against him, needing to be close yet unwilling to break their kiss and change position. He tasted familiar, like home and that sweet, skin smell she knew to be all Duncan. He tasted like stew, which with anyone else would be utterly disgusting, but on Duncan it riled her up even more.</p><p>When Duncan finally gripped her hip and tugged her close, Fallon moaned. Loud.</p><p>As soon as the sound left her mouth, she froze against him. What if Erik heard? They’d left him in the living room, but he could get up at any minute to go to the second bedroom. Their door was closed, but Fallon wasn’t sure how much sound traveled in their apartment.</p><p>Duncan pulled away once he sensed she was no longer on the same page. “Everything alright?”</p><p>“What if Erik hears?” Fallon whispered.</p><p>Duncan smirked, his lips looked shiny and inviting in the low light of the bedroom, “Can you be quiet?”</p><p>Fallon glared at him, “You know I can’t.”</p><p>Duncan’s smile widened. He was temptation and sin incarnate. The blue in his eyes was especially dangerous as he slid his hand from her hip to the crest of her thighs. There he left it. He didn’t turn her on her back and press them open. Just caressed where her thighs joined to cover her core.</p><p>Fallon bit her lip. Meeting his stare, she parted his legs. The first brush of his fingers against her pussy punched a moan from her throat. Duncan, the bastard, shh’d her. Fallon glared at him, raising her chin in challenge.</p><p>With more pressure, Duncan rubbed circles over her panties. Fallon arched her back and bit back a moan.</p><p>Duncan leaned close to her air and whispered, “Shh, sweetheart. Erik might hear.” he punctuated this sentence with his fingers dipping into her panties. His warm palm rubbed against her sex while his fingers dipped into her core. Fallon moaned and writhed against his touch. Her peak was near.</p><p>“Close, so close,” she whimpered into his neck.</p><p>Duncan crooned and picked up the pace. With little effort, he pushed her over the edge. Fallon couldn’t contain the moan that escaped her mouth. She wailed as wave after wave of her climax washed over her body. She couldn’t contain the sound if she tried.</p><p>Duncan’s movements slowed to a stop as soon as Fallon moved away from overstimulation. Kissing her forehead he whispered, “I think he heard, you naughty girl.”</p><p>Fallon sighed, dazed, “Hmm.” The orgasm fried brain. She couldn’t manage much else.</p><p>Duncan chuckled darkly. He slid her panties down her thighs, then threw them over his shoulder. Kissing her stomach, Duncan made his way down her torso to her thighs. There he placed hot, lingering kisses that had Fallon squirming against his mouth. His hands came down like clamps to keep her in place, drawing a moan out of her like clockwork.</p><p>“Now,” Duncan kissed her inner thigh, “Let me hear that pretty voice.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The word of the day for Day Ten was: BrotherHusbands, coming soon to TLC</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Erik lay awake on the pullout bed. It was comfortable, as far as couch beds go, and the sheets smelled clean. His stomach was full and after a shower he no longer felt all sticky from lugging around the Christmas tree. Yet he lay awake, staring at the ceiling so hard the stucco swirled and shift before his eyes.</p><p>Sleep made his lids heavy, yet they refused to close. And Erik had tried. Every time sleep washed over him, the noises from the room across the hall reached a fever pitch.</p><p>When his eyes were closed, vivid images of Fallon and all the things he wanted to do to her flashed through Erik’s head. And that had to stop. They were at a good place. He was no longer plotting the disappearance of her fiancé. But all of that would fall apart if Erik let himself indulge. He couldn’t rock the boat again. Fallon might give up on him for good.</p><p>Erik couldn’t risk it. But he was so damn tired.</p><p>He tried to fill his mind with the work he needed to do with the LA branch of his Outreach program. Despite their popularity, the staff there managed the volume of people they helped well. Some volunteers had grown up in their program and were now giving back to kids like them. The LA branch was everything Erik and T’Challa had set out to do and more.</p><p>But Erik didn’t think they should expand.</p><p>The LA branch had fostered a community within the community they were located. Kids and parents have relied on their services and the availability of this branch for years now. Moving the building to a new location could alienate the people they set out to help to begin with. Not to mention the people they'd displace for a new location.</p><p>Wakandan technology was amazing, but they had yet to reach a point where they could build in the sky. Even if they could, America would put the development under so much red tape it would be years before they could open their doors again.</p><p>No, they needed to expand true, but the answer didn’t lie in moving to a bigger location.</p><p>Erik yawned. He’d talk to their real estate broker on locations that needed their own branch of the outreach program. From the records he’d gone over when he arrived, many of the people they served came from Long Beach and Orange County. They could do something there.</p><p>His lids slid like weights until Erik’s eyelashes brushed his cheekbone. He saw blueprints and ledgers instead of sheep, but it did the job to send him further into dreamland.</p><p>The sound of Fallon’s moan crescendoing into a wail made his eyes snap open. Sleep was now the last thing on his mind. Shaking his head, Erik climbed out of bed. He couldn’t do this. He needed to get out.</p><p>Moving carefully within the limited space around his pullout bed, Erik located the jeans he’d worn while out. He found his phone in the back pocket and quickly tapped the screen to life. Twenty unread messages threatened to sear his retinas like a steak. Erik turned down the brightness, then bypassed all text messages from work or family in favor of a number he didn’t know well.</p><p>Yeah, this would do.</p><p>
  <b>u up?</b>
</p><p>One minute later Erik received a response.</p><p>
  <b>yea. heres the address</b>
</p><p>Smiling, Erik dressed in his discard jeans and a random hoodie. The sounds coming from Fallon and Duncan’s room followed Erik out the door. Grunts and moans echoed in his mind as he sped down the staircase. Erik paused only once to put a rock between the gate and the latch.</p><p>Once outside, Erik called a Lyft.</p><p>Aleesha’s apartment wasn’t far from Fallon and Duncan’s place. Within fifteen minutes he had one hand on her ass and his tongue in her mouth. Erik would put more finesse into his seduction than this, but after nearly thirty minutes of Fallon’s moans ringing in his ears, Erik was raring to go.</p><p>He allowed Aleesha to guide them to her bedroom and didn’t stop to study her apartment. That didn’t matter. Erik had come for one thing and one thing only. As long as he had a reasonably flat surface, Erik didn’t care if they fucked against the walls.</p><p>Erik knew they were in her bedroom when the lighting suddenly changed. She'd scattered lit candles around the room. The romantic atmosphere they cast had little effect on him. His mind's eye was more focused on picturing Fallon’s face as he took her apart. With the memory of her moans as a guide, Erik pushed Aleesha down on the bed and knelt between her thighs.</p><p>“Oh!” Aleesha moaned in surprise.</p><p>Holding back a grunt of frustration, Erik used one of his hands to cover her mouth. He didn't need to hear the noises she made. With his other hand, he gripped her thigh and threw her leg over his shoulder. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend it was Fallon he was about to devour. As his tongue delved between her folds, Aleesha wiggled.</p><p>“Keep that shit where I place it,” Erik grunted against her lips. Aleesha moaned and writhed in his touch.</p><p>Ignoring her yet again, Erik set his face between her thighs and went to work. When he sucked on her clit, it was Fallon’s moan he heard. As he nibbled the sensitive slick flesh there, he pictured Fallon’s fingers sinking into his locs and gripping tight. Thoughts of Fallon kept him hard where Aleesha, a beautiful woman in her own right, took Erik out of the mood.</p><p>When Aleesha moaned, “Your Highness, please,” Erik wanted to bite her in retaliation. He settled for sucking her clit until she begged for relief. Only then did he slide his hand from her thigh.</p><p>With one finger he tested her waters, sucking on her clit as he pistoned his finger gently in and out of her tight, wet heat. Aleesha bucked his grip, moaning and whining like a bitch in heat. When Erik slid a second finger inside, the bucking became impossible to control. Erik had to take a hand off her mouth, which unfortunately freed her up to make all the noise she wanted.</p><p>Erik grunted as he worked her body. Fuck, she was twisting and grinding against his hand like noon had ever touched her before. It became really hard to maintain his erection, Fallon’s moans in his head be damned.</p><p>What Erik wouldn't give for a second pair of hands. If Duncan were here, he could hold her wrists in one hand and cover her mouth with the other. Then Erik could get some-</p><p>Wait… the fuck?</p><p>“Fuck!” Aleesha jerked and screamed. Without warning, she gushed all over his hand. She lay panting and sweaty on her bed as her orgasm washed over her. The bonnet on her head thrown off from all her twisting and turning. Erik slid his fingers from her body with a sigh. His erection totally gone.</p><p>Seriously, what the fuck?</p><p> </p><p>The walk of shame back to Fallon and Duncan’s place felt especially shameful when Erik opened the door to Duncan standing in the kitchen. He couldn’t even look at the other man. If he had anywhere else to go, he’d have run there first. Instead, he had to come back to the start of his current mind fuck.</p><p>“Hey, Erik, can we talk for a minute?” Duncan called out. Erik was nearly to the hallway. He contemplated pretending like he couldn’t hear Duncan. How badly Erik wished he couldn't hear anything at all.</p><p>But then he had to say, “I want to talk about last night.”</p><p>Now Erik wanted to be anywhere but in his body.</p><p>Turning, Erik plastered on his most disaffected smile. He was well practiced in it after a childhood of masking his disappointment.</p><p>“Nah, man, I get it. Y’all are together and stuff. Sorry if me leaving ruined the mood or whatever.” Despite his words, a bitter part of Erik hoped it ruined their night. If he couldn’t get his nut, why should Duncan.</p><p>Duncan shook his head, “No, that didn’t bother us at all. I just wanted to talk about this,” he motioned at his neck.</p><p>Confused, Erik brought his hand to his neck and felt around.</p><p>“Um, here,” Duncan handed him a nearby silver spatula.</p><p>Using it as a mirror, Erik twisted the spatula this way and that until his reflection wasn’t so distorted he couldn’t see the twin purple marks on his neck. Cursing, Erik pressed at the hickeys. Fucking Aleesha. After eating her out, Erik had allowed her to reclaim his early erection. She’d done everything, even things Erik told her he liked. None of it worked.</p><p>He left her apartment at the crack of dawn, unsatisfied and contemplative.</p><p>“Yeah, saw it as soon as you came in. Fallon has a tube of concealer that’s too dark for her in the bathroom. It should match your skin tone. She won’t notice if you use it, but she refuses to throw it away.” Duncan rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. A classic, what are you gonna do gesture.</p><p>Erik’s face scrunched up. <i>What?</i></p><p>“Why do I need concealer? My shirt collar should cover this up.”</p><p>Duncan shook his head, “Yeah, but what about around the house? If Fallon sees that, she won’t be happy.”</p><p>Erik looked at Duncan like he was crazy. The white boy had grown on him, sure, but sometimes Erik just didn’t understand the words coming out of his mouth.</p><p>Duncan gave Erik a look like he was crazy, “Because if you want Fallon to take your feelings for her seriously marks like that are gonna give her the wrong idea.”</p><p>Erik shook his head, “Nigga what?”</p><p>Duncan sighed like Erik was being difficult. Which was funny, because Erik was a second away from knocking some sense into Duncan’s head.</p><p>“I know how you feel about her okay. If your little meltdown at Carne hadn’t been clue enough, I see the way you look at her. Like you miss her already, even though she’s right there. Like her smile makes your day, even if she’s laughing at your expense.” Duncan set his cup down and gave Erik a serious look.</p><p>“And I know how Fallon feels about you too. There’s years of hurt holding her back right now but days like yesterday could go a long way to help you win her affections back.”</p><p>A beat passed. Erik shook his head again, “<i>Nigga what?</i>”</p><p>Erik couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Duncan was telling him to hide his hickies so Fallon, the woman he’d fucked nine ways to Sunday last night, the woman he was engaged to <i>marry</i>, wouldn’t be hurt. Erik had seen a lot in his 31 years. Lived through more than men twice his age could ever hope to experience. Yet never, ever, had anyone utterly stumped him like Duncan just did.</p><p>It would impress Erik. If he wasn’t so damn confused.</p><p>“We’re talking about your fiancé? Right? Fallon King? Short? Really likes Christmas? Only a pair of pointy ears away from being a literal elf. That woman?”</p><p>Duncan laughed and shook his head, “Okay, I see the problem.”</p><p>“Please, share with the class. ‘Cause I am fucking lost.”</p><p>Duncan took his cup and set in the sink. Turning on the faucet to rinse his dish, he turned to Erik, “Fallon still loves you, underneath all the pain you caused. She wants you in her life, even if she knows you could hurt her. I, as her fiancé, want you in her life because I know you love her and I know you’d never hurt like that again.”</p><p>He punctuates his sentence by shutting off the faucet. There’s a threat to his words. Erik catches it immediately, but Duncan is on the move and speaking before he can comment on it.</p><p>“I love Fallon, but I know I do not own her. I want her to have the world and everything that makes her happy.” Duncan walked away from the sink until he was in the living room again.</p><p>“And I make her happy?” Erik followed him. They both settled on the couch. Duncan sat back, sinking into the plush cushions with an ease Erik refused to believe. He sat on the edge of his seat, fists on his knees, while he tried to make sense of what Duncan was telling him.</p><p>“Exactly,” Duncan snapped his fingers.</p><p>“And you want me to go after her? You want me to date Fallon?” Erik asked, his eyes on the ground.</p><p>Erik snapped his fingers again, “Yep,” he popped the ‘p’ as he spoke.</p><p>Erik rubbed a hand through his locs, disturbing their haphazard sprawl across his head, “And you’re just gonna end your engagement like that.”</p><p>Duncan sat up in his seat, “Now I never said that. I said I loved Fallon, not that I was giving her away.”</p><p>“Then how-” Erik began.</p><p>“She’s not mine to give, man.” Tilting his head, Duncan added, “Now, sharing. That’s a different story.”</p><p>Erik blinked so long his eyes hurt. Duncan wanted to, what now? Share? Did this white boy say share? Erik had only just started tolerating him and now he was talking about entering some polyamorous relationship together. As if it were a given! Duncan talked as if Erik knew what was going on all along. How long had he been thinking this?</p><p>Unbidden, Erik remembered how badly he’d wanted a second pair of hands to hold Aleesha down. Only this time, he pictured Fallon. Her brown skin dark, rich, and soft against the sheets. Her body writhing under his touch as he finally pressed his lips and more to the parts of her he could only imagine.</p><p>And when she moved too much he could see Duncan, a firm presence always on the peripheral, stepping in and holding her down. Leaving Fallon no choice but to take the pleasure Erik dolled out.</p><p>Unfortunately, it wasn’t as unwelcome a fantasy as Erik hoped it would be.</p><p>“So what, you think Fallon is just going to go for this?” Erik asked, grasping at straws.</p><p>Duncan shrugged, “All I know is: if we make her choose, there’s a 50/50 shot of us losing her entirely. If we try to compete and fight each other for her, there’s a 100% chance Fallon will leave us both.” giving Erik a level look, Duncan began, “But if we give her a third option…”</p><p>Erik shook his head. It couldn’t be that easy. Polyamorous relationships were never so clear cut. Not that Erik had been in many polyamorous relationships. But he'd caused a view monogamous relationship breakups that he knew adding a third person wouldn’t work out the way Duncan thought.</p><p>“It’s not that simple man. Fallon wouldn’t-”</p><p>Sighing, Duncan grabbed the remote off the coffee table. Pointing it at the tv, he turned it on and began searching through the interface.</p><p>“Look, man, I’m with Fallon now. And I love her. We’re happy. But things haven’t been bad with you around. She’s smiling a little more. I’m getting the chance to learn more about her, and so are you. Stop trying to complicate things.”</p><p>“Stop trying to act like things aren’t complicated, “Erik countered. “Say we approach her with this and then she leaves us both? What then?”</p><p>Duncan tilted his head in thought, “Well, I would lose my fiancé and you would love your first love.” Shooting him a look, Duncan deadpanned, “Tell me Erik, which is worse? Losing her without a fight. Or suggesting something new that could leave everyone happy?”</p><p>Erik shook his head, “Who said everyone would be happy. I not gonna be the fucking the third wheel to your relationship.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t be,” Duncan said calmly, “You wouldn’t be a part of our relationship. You’d be in a relationship with Fallon and so would I. No offense, but you’re more of a friend to me.”</p><p>Erik cocked his eyebrow. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Did Duncan think he was too good for a Wakandan Prince? Erik wasn’t gay or bisexual but anyone trying to tell him he wasn’t there type had to be pure cap. Erik was built differently. He was everyone's type.</p><p><i>Fuck!</i> Erik shook his head again. What the hell was he thinking? He needed to shower off Aleesha and get some rest. Maybe when he woke up, he’d find that this conversation had all been some weird hallucination brought on by the orgasm that’d been just out of reach all night.</p><p>“I’m going to bed. Talk to me when you get off that weird shit, bro.”</p><p>Erik passed Fallon’s closed bedroom door without looking at it. He found the pullout bed as he’d left it, cold and lonely. When he slid between the sheets, he waited for the memory of Fallon’s sounds of pleasure to assault him. Instead, when he closed his eyes, he saw Fallon at his mercy in bed and Duncan holding her down.</p><p>No matter how many times he blinked, the image refused to go away.</p><p>Erik hopped out of bed with a burst of energy. Fuck this! He needed to shower anyway. And if, while the scalding water cascaded down his scars, Erik’s erection returned. That was only between him and the tiles.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p>
<p>
  <b>The phrase of the day for Day Eleven was: Nigga What!?</b>
</p>
<p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p>
<p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Damn girl, does someone owe you money?”</p>
<p>Fallon jumped at the unexpected voice behind her. She turned, then glared, “Stop sneaking up on me.”</p>
<p>Nicole cocked an eyebrow, “Well, if you wasn’t so deep in that <i>phone</i>, you’d know I’ve been talking to you for the last five minutes.” She held two boxes of decaffeinated tea in the air and shook them, “You see what your friend is trying to get me to drink?”</p>
<p>Fallon shrugged, her attention immediately refocusing on her phone, “Caffeine is bad for babies.”</p>
<p>“I know caffeine’s bad for babies but a decaffeinated Nicole is bad for everyone else.” Rubbing her stomach she added, “My little passenger has to depart cause mommy would literally throat chop a bitch for a chocolate-covered espresso bean right now.”</p>
<p>Fallon hummed, distracted. For the last few days, Fallon got stuck rereading the assistant group chat.</p>
<p>Founded by all the head assistants for each department, the assistant group chat has been a lifesaver for them all. The Oakland branch started the habit, and it spread to the other branches quickly. Not every boss was like Mona, but having a village made assisting the department heads easier. Fallon was one of the more frequent users of the group chat, offering her services or expertise across departments with what limited free time she had left. Because of this, Fallon knows literally every assistant at this branch.</p>
<p>So when Aleesha fills the group chat with exclamation points and strategically framed selfies, Fallon can picture immediately why Erik Stevens would have found himself in her bed.</p>
<p>No matter the years that passed of how carefully Aleesha composed her shot, Fallon would know Erik’s body anywhere. From the beard along his chin, purposely kept low because the men in Erik’s family couldn’t grow a full beard if they tried, to the chain and ring around a strong-looking neck. Erik had always cherished his father’s ring.</p>
<p>When they were young, Ms. Ashley would take Erik to visit his father’s grave on his birthday. Fallon would always tag along. Ms. Ashley would go off to visit friends she’d lost during the AIDs crisis, leaving the two of them with N’Jobu. Erik always took his father's ring off and placed it on the headstone.</p>
<p>Aside from that one day a year, Erik never took that ring off. When his fingers grew much too thick to wear it. He got a chain so he could always keep it near. Fallon still has the pictures he’d mailed her the week he bought it. Fallon was sure Erik would ask to be buried with his father’s ring if he never had a child to pass it down to.</p>
<p>“Hello! Fallon? I know I’m not talking for my health because I am out of breath!” Nicole dramatically placed a hand over her chest, “Look at me, I’m panting!”</p>
<p>Locking her phone screen, Fallon turned to give Nicole an exasperated look, “What, what, what?”</p>
<p>Nicole’s head bobbed back, “Tuh,” she scoffed, “Excuse me,”</p>
<p>Rolling her eyes, Fallon stormed out of the break room. As she passed Nicole, Fallon said, “You’re excused,”</p>
<p>It didn’t matter that Aleesha had Erik over for the night. She was pretty. If you liked tall, statuesque, dark-skinned model types. She was good at her job too. Of all the assistants in the group chat, Fallon had always found Aleesha to be reliable and quick thinking. There were three assistants under her at the front desk, and they all seemed to love her. Why wouldn’t Erik want to spend the night with Aleesha?</p>
<p>Fallon dropped into her office chair with more force than necessary, sending herself away from her desk. Her anger climbed to her throat as she gripped the bottom of the seat with her hands and jerked the chair forward inch by embarrassing inch. When she was finally an appropriate distance from her desk, Fallon took a deep breath.</p>
<p>Not because she was angry. Because she wasn’t. Fallon didn’t get angry at work. She was the definition of a professional. Ask anyone. You couldn’t be angry in the workplace that was just tacky. As for being frustrated... Frustration was expected if your work was challenging. And Fallon was really fucking frustrated.</p>
<p>“Fallon!” Mona cried from her office.</p>
<p>Fallon sighed. Oh goody, a distraction from her frustration.</p>
<p>Grabbing her work tablet and headset, Fallon rose from her seat and plastered a professional smile across her face. Only then did she turn and say, “Coming, Mona!”</p>
<p>The great Mona Chinwe, Events Coordinator to the stars for most of the ’90s and early ’00s, was her boss of nearly four years. Fallon had grown up reading about her parties in magazines and had dreamed of meeting the woman. Working for her had been a dream come true. Until Fallon had to work for the woman.</p>
<p>Mona shook her head as soon as Fallon set foot in her office, “Didn’t I say I wanted us to debrief before this week's team meeting? Where were you?”</p>
<p>Fallon’s smile widened reflexively, “Of course, Mona. Where did you want to start?”</p>
<p>Without waiting for permission, Fallon took a step forward and sat in the two chairs in front of Mona’s desk. They were mainly for show than any actual guests. Mona preferred to ambush the planners in their offices when she wanted something and refused to meet vendors or other department heads in her office.</p>
<p>The chairs weren’t particularly comfortable, but Fallon knew better than to stand through a Mona monologue. The woman hated being interrupted. Even if the “interruption” was Fallon sinking into a chair to rest her aching feet.</p>
<p>“Quiney’s party for the program kids starts at 5, so I want you down there,” her eyes tracked over Fallon’s outfit. With a mean smile she added, “You’re dressed for it, anyway.”</p>
<p>Fallon didn’t react to that. For as long as she’s worked for Mona, the woman has had something to say about Fallon’s clothes. Today she was wearing reindeer antlers and candy cane knee-high socks. But usually Mona criticized the length of her skirts or the color of her tights. After years of insults, Fallon knew her best bet was moving on instead of giving Mona an inch.</p>
<p>“The volunteers confirmed this morning that they’d be fine with cleaning up, but I want you down there to get the key for those offices. Who knows what they’ll use it for?” Mona continued.</p>
<p>Fallon nodded, “And what time will the party end? It’s darker earlier now so we should consider the parent-”</p>
<p>Mona made a face and waved her hand, “Eyy ey! I don’t Fallon, figure it out. I’m running a department I can’t do <i>everything</i>! God, do I look like a miracle worker to you!”</p>
<p>Fallon blinked at Mona’s outburst. A beat of silence past, the only sounds in the room Mona’s wet panting and the very faint ticking of her watch.</p>
<p>“I’ll have the lobby arrange phone calls to parents and a drop off service. If we extend that to the volunteers that should see them home safe as well.” As she spoke, Fallon made a note on her tablet.</p>
<p>Mona was silent as she typed. Mona was very rarely quiet. Awareness made Fallon stop typing to stare at her boss. They locked eyes. Mona smirked.</p>
<p>“What do you think of Nicole Moss?” Mona asked suddenly.</p>
<p>Fallon didn’t like the gleam in her eye, “She’s my best friend. And one of the best event planners in the department.”</p>
<p>Mona’s eyes twitched. She sucked her teeth and looked away from Fallon to stare out the floor to ceiling windows, “Yeah, she’s all that. I guess. But what do you think about her job?”</p>
<p>Fallon frowned, “As senior event planner, she’s brought in a lot of high-profile donors. She has a strong relationship with local vendors and-”</p>
<p>Mona waved her hand in the air, her face disgusted, “Ugh, I guess whatever. You’re dismissed.”</p>
<p>Fallon didn’t hesitate to shut her mouth and stand up. Mona called out to her as she made it to the door.</p>
<p>“I want you down there with Quincy and the volunteers after your lunch.”</p>
<p>Fallon turned to address her, “I’ve already had my lunch.”</p>
<p>“Perfect go down there now, then.” Mona shooed Fallon out of office with a fake smile.</p>
<p>Biting her lip to hold back her emotions, Fallon gripped her tablet tight and said a silent prayer. </p>
<p>
  <i>Whatever Spirit of Christmas that might be out there, please give me patience. ‘Cause if you give me strength I’m gonna need bail money.</i>
</p>
<p>Fallon’s work with the Center rarely had her on the first floor or anywhere near the children’s rooms. So she didn’t know what to expect when she used her id card to unlock the sliding doors to the Children’s Center. Cathedral ceilings with fake fluffy clouds and a setting sun, jungle gyms and balls pits and a wall of computers was the last thing she expected.</p>
<p>Right next to the doors was a wall of cubbies that looked like windows and doors embedded into the wall like a real life game of tetris. A sign warned against shoes on the carpet, so Fallon quickly dropped to her feet and peeled off her boots. That done, Fallon stood on tiptoe to study the warehouse sized playroom for Quincy or even a volunteer.</p>
<p>The first step on the plush foam flooring of the playroom almost sent Fallon to her knees. It was so soft against the abused balls of her feet, some of her frustration wicked away. Now all she wanted to do was find a soft corner and crawl into it. Maybe then she could unravel the mess inside her head.</p>
<p>“Hey Fallon, what are you-” Quincy began. He sighed and shook his head, “Mona sent you. Didn’t she?”</p>
<p>Fallon smiled, “You know it. Don’t worry though I’m only here to help.” Pointing at the box in his arms, she asked, “Do you need any help with that.”</p>
<p>Quincy shrugged, “It’s not that heavy. We’re almost done with the wall decorations, but if you could start setting up the activity tables, that’d be great.”</p>
<p>Fallon nodded once, “You got it. Point me in the right direction.”</p>
<p>For two hours Fallon worked with Quincy and the volunteers in the playroom. She arranged comically tiny tables and chairs carefully on the rubber flooring. Placed towels close to the sink and the cute, child sized plastic smocks hung on hooks along the wall. Once done with the tables, Fallon chilled cookie dough for the baking activity in the area Quincy designated for all the messy crafts.</p>
<p>It wasn’t hard work or even time-consuming, but it gave Fallon something to focus on. If she was counting Christmas cookie cutters, she couldn’t think about Erik leaving her house with a belly full of her food to go see another woman. </p>
<p>And when the monotonous work dried up, Fallon took it upon herself to make a tray of cookies. For the kids, of course.</p>
<p>Too soon, there was nothing else to do. Fallon had to stand by, a fake smile on her face, as the children ran in and the volunteers took over. On the one hand, she was happy to see so many happy black children. She couldn’t remember being as carefree as they were at their age. Fallon envied their potential and capacity to love. </p>
<p>No one had hurt them yet. They hadn’t had to face the harsh reality of no one wanting them.</p>
<p>Swallowing thickly, Fallon searched for an escape. With the stream of children coming through the main doors, that exit was out of reach. Every office in the building had multiple exits in case of fire hazard, so the playroom would be no different.</p>
<p>Fallon found Quincy’s close cropped curls a second before an unwelcome face walked into view. Cursing, Fallon ducked and hid behind a child sized kitchen. She prayed they hadn’t seen her. </p>
<p>It had been days since Aleesha posted in the group chat, and Fallon had yet to mention it to Erik. She had an excuse to mention it beyond the ugly, green curiosity burrowing in her chest. Bragging about being with a prince, their boss, could only be bad.</p>
<p>But the convenience of that question made Fallon hesitate. Her feelings were still so raw and on the surface. And Fallon couldn’t even decipher the top 3 things she’d felt since seeing the text. She had no idea what would come out of her mouth if she tried to confront Erik about the text.</p>
<p>No, she needed to keep avoiding the issue. Eventually he’d move out, and he’d be free to eat someone else’s food and fuck whoever he wanted.</p>
<p>“Hey, Fallon!” a voice called out to her.</p>
<p>Fallon cursed. They had found her. Without looking at turning the opposite direction she’d heard her name, Fallon rushed to the nearest door. The Spirit of Christmas was on her side for once. The door she found led to the children’s garden attached to the playroom. Before ducking inside, Fallon peeked and saw another door leading to the courtyard at the center of the building.</p>
<p>Freedom.</p>
<p>“Fallon, wait up!” the voice called again.</p>
<p>Fallon did the exact opposite. With quick, socked feet, Fallon ran through the garden and into the courtyard. Her shoes would just have to be left behind because Fallon wasn’t looking back for anybody.</p>
<p>Not even Erik Stevens.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The word of the day for Day Twelve was: Brat</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Erik saw the back of Fallon disappear through a back door and he rushed after her without thought. He heard the hiss and disapproval from volunteers who didn’t know him, mad that he was wearing shoes on their precious foam. So Erik retreated, if only to keep the peace around the children. As he passed the cubby wall on his way out the door, Erik saw the booties Fallon had been wearing that morning.</p><p>Shaking his head, he grabbed the shoes and jogged out the sliding door.</p><p>If his memory of the building was correct, that door should lead to the open-air courtyard at the center of the building. Erik jogged down a hallway and found himself back in the lobby. Aleesha was on the front desk so Erik picked up speed a little so she couldn’t call out to him. That led him to yet another glass walled hallway, but this time he found an exit to the courtyard.</p><p>It was full on winter in California, so evenings were colder than natives like Fallon were used to. Even through his suit, Erik felt the nip in the air. The chill made him determined to find her, if not to talk to her, then at least to get her shoes to her.</p><p>That said Erik really wanted to talk to her.</p><p>After Duncan’s blunt proposal, Erik thought a lot about that white man and his childhood best friend. Despite the way he’d brought up the whole polyam thing, Duncan hadn’t changed his treatment of Erik. They still ran together in the morning and when Fallon was busy and didn’t want to be bothered, they played video games and watched movies she wouldn’t like.</p><p>Aside from T’Challa, Erik hadn’t had many male friends. The men he served with in the Navy were his brothers to a point. The things he’d experienced and survived with them had bonded them all in more ways than one. But Erik still didn’t consider these people his friends. They had no bearing on his day-to-day life. Aside from a barbecue every five years, he hardly ever saw them.</p><p>T’Challa was his cousin, and when he was younger, they were thick as thieves. Then T’Challa became “The Future King” in more than title, and they drifted apart. Since Erik’s reunion with the family, they’ve worked on their relationship and grown a lot over the years. But again, Erik wouldn’t call T’Challa his friend. He was his cousin, his business partner, his monarch (as much as Erik believed in all that). T’Challa wasn’t his friend. He was family.</p><p>Duncan was just so friendly. Erik never made it a point to get to know white people, so he couldn’t tell if this was a thing all white people were capable of or if Duncan was just special. He didn’t say any of the annoying “ally” shit white people liked to say to show they weren’t racist. He didn’t censor himself, not because he was going around saying slurs and making ignorant statements. But because he knew better and understood that he could talk to Erik about more than black culture.</p><p>And if Erik brought up black culture, Duncan listened. It was fucking bizarre. Erik wondered how Fallon could stand a white man that refused to meet expectations yet in the best way possible.</p><p>While Duncan and Erik were going from acquaintances to friends, Erik couldn’t pin down how Fallon felt about him. After the rocky start they had at Carne, Erik felt Fallon’s feelings towards him thaw a little. She wasn’t warm exactly, but sometimes he could make her smile just like old times. Or she’d forget who he was and fall back into the comfortable touching they did as kids. </p><p>All platonic, but the way her eyes looked when she realized what she’d done always struck Erik as distinctly <i>not</i> platonic. He didn’t know what they were, but that was fine because it felt like they were heading towards something positive. </p><p>Now, however, he can’t get Fallon to stay in the same room as him for longer than a few minutes. Erik and Duncan have been surviving off of leftovers because as soon as they came home from work Fallon shut herself in her craft room until she had to shower and head to bed.</p><p>Erik would worry she wasn’t eating to avoid him, but Duncan assured him she had snacks stashed all over the craft room so she’d be fine for a while.</p><p>Fallon was standing near a heat lamp outside on the cafeteria patio when Erik found her. She shivered where she stood. Erik approached her slowly. She was flighty as a bird. Any wrong move could spook her into running away from him again.</p><p>“I’m not gonna run again. My legs are so stiff I’d trip and shatter across the pavement like ice.” Fallon’s teeth chattered as she talked.</p><p>Erik huffed and raised the booties in the air, “Maybe if you had these you wouldn’t be so cold.”</p><p>Snatching them out of his hands was as much attitude as Fallon gave before using Erik’s shoulder for support to slip on her shoes.</p><p>“Can we talk?” Erik asked.</p><p>Fallon froze, her eyes going wide and dancing around the courtyard.</p><p>Erik sighed, “Look if you’re going to run, then run. I’ll just sleep in my office or whatever.”</p><p>Fallon frowned, “Wait, why would you stay in your office?”</p><p>“Because you obviously don’t want to be around me. Why should I stay in your apartment and make you uncomfortable.” Erik turned to walk away, his heart thudding in his chest.</p><p>Fallon made a high-pitched noise, “Wait!” She grabbed his arm to keep him in place.</p><p>“You don’t have to sleep in your office okay. I’ll talk about what's bothering me.”</p><p>Erik turned to study her face. He saw nothing but truth in her eyes. Nodding, Erik said, “Okay then. And don’t hold back because you’re trying to spare my feelings. If I made you-”</p><p>“No, no, nothing like that. It’s actually uh…” Fallon tucked her hair behind her ears, “It’s actually really stupid, okay so. Don’t judge.”</p><p>Erik held out his pinky finger, “Promise.”</p><p>Fallon bit her lip and smiled. Quickly, she wrapped her pinky around his, released, then put her hand behind her back.</p><p>“So there’s an assistant group chat so we can all help each other and keep updated on the inner workings of this branch. Every branch has a group chat, actually.”</p><p>As Fallon spoke, Erik’s mind made note of the group chat thing. He could probably get Shuri to design cell phones for the staff for these reasons exactly. Or maybe an app would be easier to develop.</p><p>Fallon fiddled with her phone as she continued. “Aleesha from the front desk uploaded this picture a day or two ago and I had a very… strong reaction to it.” Hesitantly, she held the phone out to him.</p><p>Frowning, Erik took the phone from Fallon’s hands and brought it closer to his face.</p><p>It was a picture of him, shirtless in bed. His face was thankfully cut out of frame, but his father’s ring was on full display. Few people knew about the ritual scarring on his chest. They were a memory from a dark time during his stint in the Navy. Anger rose in his chest like heat.</p><p>In a strained tone he said, “I see. I’ll deal with this later.” Erik sent the photo to his phone along with a couple screenshots of the responses to the picture.</p><p>Fallon didn’t protest when he added his number to her contacts. She only spoke up when Erik handed her phone back.</p><p>“I’m sorry I didn’t speak up sooner. I couldn’t separate my feelings about the picture from the fact that she’d posted this picture of you anyway.” Fallon hugged her arms to her chest and rubbed them.</p><p>Erik froze. Did she say feelings?</p><p>Taking off his suit jacket, Erik placed it on Fallon’s shoulders. He used the lapels to pull the jacket closed and Fallon closer.</p><p>“So there were feelings involved?” He smirked when she refused to meet his eyes.</p><p>“Disgust mainly,” she told his throat.</p><p>Erik chuckled, “Disgust?”</p><p>“At Aleesha,” she clarified, “How tacky to take a picture of your partner without their consent and share it to your work group chat.”</p><p>Erik laughed and pulled her closer. This close, he could feel every shiver that wracked her body. It brought him back to that moment in the tree lot. He could feel her heart thudding against her back. Erik’s pulse raced too. He still thought of the feel of her thighs in his hands.</p><p>“And you, how stupid to break California law for a girl that waited barely a day to brag about it.” Fallon shook her head.</p><p>Erik froze. Oh yeah. That.</p><p>Pushing at his chest, Fallon took herself out of Erik’s arms, “At least now I know the rumors about you from the other Centers are true.”</p><p>Erik rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Are you seriously upset I went to that girl's house? We didn’t even really have sex.”</p><p>“Oh my bad, you “didn’t really have sex”. So she’s lying about you going down her for half an hour.”</p><p>Tugging at his collar, Erik cleared his throat, “By “didn’t really have sex” I meant all I did was go down on her for a set amount of time and then…”</p><p>Fallon shook her head, one eyebrow cocked and an expression of exaggerated disappointment on her face. Only some of her disappointment didn’t look exaggerated.</p><p>Taking a shot in the dark Erik said, “Well what was I supposed to do when you were letting the entire neighborhood know Duncan’s breaking you off a little of that white boy dick all night.”</p><p>Fallon reeled back, “Oh, so it’s my fault you ended up in her bed? I pushed your face between her thighs Erik?”</p><p>“You might as well have the way you were sounding. Almost like you wanted me to hear it.” Erik stepped closer. She had to look up to meet his eyes.</p><p>Her mouth dropped open. Then it shut with a click. She broke their stare. Again, Fallon opened her mouth to speak, but it clicked shut a second later. Erik studied her every expression hungrily. He knew what he was seeing, but a part of him refused to believe it.</p><p>First Duncan and now her. Erik had to be sure before he put himself out there.</p><p>Stepping into her space again, Erik asked, “Did you want me to hear you, Fallon?”</p><p>Fallon licked her lips. She tried meeting his eyes, but could never maintain the stare long enough.</p><p>“I’m with Duncan.” she said.</p><p>Erik laughed, “I have a feeling we both know that doesn’t matter.”</p><p>Fallon swallowed and shook her head, “This was why I didn’t want to bring this to you.”</p><p>Hope soared in Erik’s chest.</p><p>“But you did,” he reminded her.</p><p>“I did.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The phrase of the day for Day Thirteen was: Aleesha why?</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Get that smile off your face. I haven't agreed to anything yet." Fallon grumbled.</p><p>At her side, Erik practically skipped. His smile was so wide his trademark dimples created deep valleys in his cheeks. Fallon felt an answering smile try to spread across her face, but she tamped down the urge. Erik's was like 80% ego on a bad day. She didn't need to gas him up anymore than everyone else did.</p><p>"Talk with an attitude all you want. All I hear is 'yet'. ‘Yet’ means there's a yes on the way."</p><p>"Or a no," Fallon countered.</p><p>Erik cocked his eyebrow at her. He obviously wasn't buying it.</p><p>Ignoring him, she rounded the corner in the lobby. Duncan was already standing there, her bag and coat in his arms. Fallon was so thankful to see her coat she shed Erik's jacket and jogged the last bit of distance to grab it.</p><p>"Did you guys come from outside? It's pretty cold out there." Duncan looked between Erik and Fallon as he spoke.</p><p>"This one ran outside without her shoes." Erik smirked.</p><p>His mood had improved a lot since their talk in the courtyard. Fallon felt better too, but it still felt too soon to relax. There's so much they haven't discussed. So many things they need to iron out before she could even think about… <i>that</i>.</p><p>Duncan chuckled at Erik’s words until he caught sight of Fallon’s expression.</p><p>“50/50, huh?” She snatched her purse out of his arms and put it over her shoulder.</p><p>Duncan’s expression dropped, “Oh…”</p><p>“Yeah,” Fallon tilted her head, “We’re gonna talk about this when we get home,”</p><p>“Of course sweetheart,” Duncan looked appropriately apologetic, so some of Fallon’s annoyance with him waned.</p><p>At their side, Erik laughed at their exchange. Shooting him a hard look, Fallon was quick to remind him, “Fucking your employees?”</p><p>He quickly shut up after that.</p><p>Fallon narrowed her eyes at him and nodded once, “Yeah.”</p><p>Pointing at both men she said, “From now on all conversations about relationships and whether anyone is interested in them shall happen between the <i>three</i> of us,” her eyes danced between them, gauging their reactions, “Got it?”</p><p>“Yes, Fallon.” Duncan replied obediently.</p><p>Erik sniffed, “I mean…”</p><p>Fallon rolled her eyes and cut her hand through the air. It silenced him immediately.</p><p>“Lets go.”</p><p>Tension sat with the trio the entire drive home. The men walked behind Fallon once they arrived at the apartment building. When they made it to the apartment, they all divested themselves of their work bags and set off to prepare for The Talk.</p><p>Fallon went to their bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes and put her hair up. Erik went into the kitchen for wine and three glasses. Duncan called Fallon’s favorite wing place for an order for three</p><p>Fallon insisted they sit in the two chairs banking the couch. She sat on the couch and studied them both while she gathered her thoughts. Fallon knew she wasn’t angry with Duncan for his deal with Erik. And she wasn’t mad at Erik for considering it even a little. The night Erik had gone off to fuck Aleesha, Fallon had some of the best sex of her life imagining two men touching her body at once.</p><p>It wasn’t an unfamiliar fantasy, just one she never expected to experience in her lifetime. Least of all with Duncan. He was compatible with her as far as kinks, but Fallon had never brought up bringing in another person to the relationship. A part of her always thought that if you started a relationship monogamous, there was no natural way to introduce opening it up to someone else.</p><p>Although the way Erik retold the story of Duncan bringing it up to him in the first place, maybe it really was that simple.</p><p>“So break it down for me,” Fallon began. She had her elbows on her knees and her hands pressed together in front of her lips. Gesturing at Duncan she said, “You first, then Erik.”</p><p>A beat of silence passed. Duncan’s eyes shifted a little, then refocused on Fallon.</p><p>“I… felt,” he began haltingly, “That you still have feelings for Erik. Our entire relationship I knew that were he to ever come back into the picture it would be difficult for you to pick me.”</p><p>Fallon wanted to interrupt him so badly. But she kept her mouth shut. Duncan was giving her the answer to the question she’d asked. She could ask many more later.</p><p>“And I want you to know, Fallon, this wasn’t about me feeling inadequate or trying to control how you two refound each other. I looked at Erik and I saw another version of myself and I wanted to help him.”</p><p>This time Fallon had to interrupt, “By offering to share me?”</p><p>“No!” Duncan spoke quickly, “Not at all! I would have never brought it up unless I thought you were at least a little into it. And if we’d tried, and you found you didn’t like it, I would have respected that.”</p><p>“Would you?” Fallon asked. She thought she knew the answer, but she wanted him to confirm it to her.</p><p>With earnest blue eyes, Duncan leaned forward in his seat and said, “I promise. No matter if you decided you wanted to be with him after all. I just want you to be happy, Fallon.”</p><p>Laughing, he added, “It would suck and hurt like hell to lose you. But I don’t want to keep you if you want to be somewhere else.”</p><p>The urge to reach out to him gripped her. Hugging her arms around herself, Fallon met Duncan’s eyes and asked the key question buzzing in her head since that cold conversation in the courtyard, “And us? If I were to say yes and I wanted to do this thing with Erik, what would happen to us?”</p><p>Chewing his lip, Duncan shrugged, “I mean aside from Erik I don’t see how anything else would change. You and I still want the same things.”</p><p>Turning to Erik for the first time since they sat down, Fallon asked, “And you? If I were to be with you, how would you handle my relationship with Duncan?”</p><p>Erik was the picture of poise in his seat. Calm and collected with a glass of wine suspended in the air by only his fingertips, “I’m not used to this poly shit but uh,” he shrugged, “I’d figure it out.”</p><p>Fallon sighed, “<i>This</i> is not as helpful as I expected it to be.”</p><p>Erik scoffed, “Well, what do you want from me?”</p><p>Fallon threw her hands up in the air, “I don’t know? A concrete answer that makes me choose to be with you both over other alternatives.”</p><p>“You can only be with us if you want to, deep down. Nothing we can say can convince you of how you feel,” Duncan mumbled.</p><p>Turing away from Erik to meet his eyes, Fallon said, “What about children?”</p><p>Duncan and Erik shared a look, “I hear it takes a village,” Duncan said eventually.</p><p>Erik sipped his drink, “Your children will be black even with a white father. I could be of use around here.”</p><p>Fallon gave him a look, “You don’t want children of your own?”</p><p>Erik wouldn’t meet her eyes. He shrugged again, but the movement was partially hidden when he yet again sipped his wine. Rolling her eyes, Fallon stood up and snatched the wineglass out of his hand. Throwing it back, she swallowed and set the glass on the coffee table.</p><p>“Talk.” she demanded.</p><p>Rubbing the back of his neck Erik sighed, “I guess… I’d like to be a father. But if y’all two get married, what does that mean for my kids?”</p><p>Fallon looked at Duncan. He was staring at Erik.</p><p>“Polygamy is illegal in the US, but there are loopholes. Besides,” his blue eyes flashed, “I’m prepared to raise and support any child we have. I don’t care where they came from or who they’re related to.”</p><p>Fallon sat on the couch heavily at the word ‘we’. They would be a ‘we’ wouldn’t they. The three of them. It was a lot to take in.</p><p>“What loopholes you talkin’ man?” Erik sat forward in his chair, intrigued.</p><p>“Mormons do a divorce and marry cycle for each wife brought on to the family. That way all his wives have his last name and can say they’re Mrs. Whatever without legally breaking the law. Despite the divorce, they all act married and the children carry on the father’s name.”</p><p>“Pass,” Fallon drawled.</p><p>“What, why?” Duncan and Erik turned to look at her at the same time. The synchronicity was creepy.</p><p>“Because you both have boring, last names. So I’m going to go from Fallon King to Fallon Stevens-Mathis or Mathis-Stevens.”</p><p>“Stevens-Mathis,” Duncan and Erik corrected. They looked at each other, surprised. Then smiled.</p><p>Fallon rolled her eyes, “No, to both of you. I’m not hyphenating. People are only going to use one name anyway and it's whoever’s first.”</p><p>“We could take your last name.”</p><p>Fallon looked at Erik in shock? <i>What did he say?</i></p><p>"That's what my mother and father did, when they married." Erik added.</p><p>“Yeah,” Duncan added, “I like that actually. Duncan King has a nice ring to it.”</p><p>Erik laughed, “Yo initials gonna be DK.”</p><p>“Even better, since I beat your high score on the Switch.” Duncan’s eyebrows wagged.</p><p>Erik’s expression shifted from amusement to shock, “No, the fuck you didn’t!”</p><p>“Wanna bet, dude? I could blast you right now-”</p><p>Clapping her hands, Fallon regained the attention of the men she was actually considering spending the rest of her life with.</p><p>“Can we get back to the subject on hand?” She stared them both down, “Before we move on; you both want to take my name?”</p><p>Duncan and Erik nodded immediately. Fallon let the idea sit with her. Her last name was the only tie to her family that Fallon still had. She hadn’t seen her mother since she was four years old, and she never knew her father. Can’t even confirm his King is his name or her mother’s maiden name. </p><p>Sharing her name with Duncan and Erik felt a little like creating her own family. It felt like starting a new legacy to make up for the ancestors she’d never know.</p><p>It shook Fallon how much the idea appealed to her.</p><p>“Okay. Okay, I guess we got the big questions out of the way. Kids and Marriage. Now onto the hard stuff.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>
  <b>The question of the day for Day Fourteen was: Throuple?</b>
</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Very light edit so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They passed the bottle of wine around and the conversation became less intense.</p><p>Erik didn’t mind talking about kids or last names, it just felt a little soon for all that. They haven’t even seen this -them, in action. What if they pick out names and set a date for some weird Mormon wedding only for them to realize this isn't what they wanted at all?</p><p>Duncan, the observant motherfucker, took one look at Erik and said, "We can get back to the hard stuff later, Fal. Why don't you tell us if you actually want this? We've only been around each other for a week and a half."</p><p>Fallon curled her feet up on the couch. Her eyes raised to the ceiling and slowly she began speaking, "I don't know. A lot of what I feel for Erik feels like a memory. Like,"</p><p>Fallon shifted on the couch, her eyes dropped to her wineglass, "Some days I look at you and its just like old times. You'll tease me and annoy me, but you also make me laugh. You… make space for me even when you're being a dick." </p><p>Fallon continued, her expression serious, "But I don't know what being with you feels like. I've known Duncan since I was 21 years old. I kind of grew up with him to. And after knowing what it is to love him I…"</p><p>She seemed to fight with herself over what to say next. Erik wished he could give her the words. He needed to know how she felt. That would decide everything for him.</p><p>The day Erik saw her in the lobby he knew he couldn't go another thirteen years never seeing her again. Of all the stupid decisions Erik made in his youth, abandoning Fallon haunted him the most.</p><p>"Without thinking of our feelings," Duncan began softly. Erik shifted his gaze from Fallon to where he sat. His expression was serious yet open. Erik couldn’t understand how a man could wear his feelings so blatantly.</p><p>"What's your ideal outcome. Are you with the both of us… neither one of us?"</p><p>Several minutes passed before Fallon said anything. Her words flowed in a rush when she finally spoke.</p><p>"I'd like to start a new relationship with Erik. Mostly because I had a crush on you since we were ten years old. But I still want all the stuff we planned, Duncan. The house, the kids, the dog. All of it"</p><p>She took a breath but didn't pause for long, "But I can't get the idea of me between the two of you with nothing on and nowhere to run."</p><p>Fallon slapped a hand over her mouth.</p><p>Erik and Duncan shared a look. Then they laughed.</p><p>Fallon pouted, "Not y'all laughing at me literally being vulnerable."</p><p>Erik laughed harder. Duncan, still chuckling though he tried not to, joined Fallon on the couch. Pressing close, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>"We're not laughing at you," he soothed. Kissing her forehead, Duncan winked at Erik.</p><p>Erik shook his head, smiling. He left his chair and sat on Fallon’s other side. Leaning into her side, Erik made himself heavy.</p><p>"I'm sorry I laughed, princess." he sang into her ear.</p><p>She jerked under his weight, trying to buck him off. "No, you're not,"</p><p>"I'm not," he agreed, "But I'm being honest when I say I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because…"</p><p>Erik faltered. Once he admitted this, he couldn't take it back. If he told them and all this fell apart, they'd always know.</p><p>Fallon turned to meet his eyes. Her expression guarded, stubborn hope shone through in her eyes.</p><p>"I don't wanna be all… <i>that</i> with Duncan. But I didn't… hate hearing y'all that night. And," Erik swallowed around the lump in his throat.</p><p>With a dry mouth he continued, "I wouldn't mind having a second pair of hands in the bedroom."</p><p>Erik pressed his glass against his lips and sipped. He studied their reactions. Duncan was looking at Fallon. Fallon's eyes couldn't decide where to settle.</p><p>Unable to stand the silence any longer, Erik spoke, "And I want to add that, I had a crush on you too. I was going to ask you out forreal before we went to college, but shit with my family got complicated and I didn't handle it well."</p><p>"Understatement, but go on." Fallon mumbled.</p><p>Erik rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know. And I'll say sorry for as long as you'll let me be in your life."</p><p>Fallon met his eyes. Erik tried to make himself open to her. For once in his life, he wanted everything he felt to be plain on his face. After studying him for a moment, the tension in her shoulders melted. She smiled, tentatively.</p><p>"Okay, then." She said.</p><p>Erik's eyebrow cocked. He looked at Duncan, who shrugged in return. To Fallon he echoed, "Okay, then?"</p><p>She nodded, "There are ground rules I want to lay out between the three of us first, but I'm willing to try it if you two are."</p><p>Duncan’s smile was wide and goofy when Fallon finished speaking. Erik had a little more control over himself. He bit his lips to smother his smile, but his grin was too wide to contain.</p><p>He didn't have her all to himself, but it was better than not having her at all</p><p>Their intercom buzzed and a second later a voice came over the speaker, ",i&gt;DoorDash!"</p><p>They silently agreed to put the conversation off until after food. Duncan went to tip the delivery driver downstairs and Fallon ran off to the kitchen for towels and more wine. They left Erik on the couch, his body still curved in the memory of where Fallon once sat. He couldn’t believe his life. Erik had never been this close to something he wanted so badly before.</p><p>Losing his parents matured him. Being an orphan matured him. When his aunty and uncle eventually adopted him, they found themselves not with a traumatized thirteen-year-old. Erik had grown up surrounded by death and gang violence, only to be transported to a world of politics and more money than he knew existed. Culture shock didn’t touch what he experienced.</p><p>He went from not wanting anything because disappointment was all he got. To not wanting for anything. His aunty had a third child to spoil, and his uncle… T’Chaka had a lot to make up for.</p><p>Did it happen the way he’d expected? Not at all. Yet he wasn’t against it. Having Duncan around took some pressure off Erik. He’s a mean, stubborn vet that has more baggage than a Gucci store. There were parts of him Fallon didn’t know, and Erik wasn’t ready to share. He didn’t have to feel unworthy of her, or like there were parts of her he’d never be able to satisfy. Whatever she wasn’t getting from him, she was getting from Duncan.</p><p>After a week and a half of cohabitation, Erik still didn’t quite understand their relationship. Duncan adored Fallon. Erik got the sense that he’d oriented his life around her, happy somehow. Without meaning to, Fallon stumbled onto a man willing to change for her. </p><p><i>Well</i>, Erik corrected, <i>Two men.</i> </p><p>Erik could honestly say he wasn’t as willing to bend for Fallon as Duncan was. This weird relationship they were attempting was as much for him as it was for her. Erik would try anything once, especially if got him closer to Fallon.</p><p>Duncan returned before Fallon, an enormous paper bag in his hand. It filled the air with steam and the rich smell of wing sauce. Erik’s hunger made itself known immediately. His mouth watered.</p><p>As Duncan set the bag down on the coffee table, he peeked in the kitchen. The coast must have been clear because he then turned to Erik and raised his eyebrows, “Are we good? I know we gotta save the relationship stuff for Fallon, but I just wanna know if we agree.”</p><p>Duncan took containers of wings, a basket of fries, and a dozen different dipping sauces out of the paper bag. With his eyes on his task, Duncan continued, “I don’t want you to think I was trying to like <i>groom</i> you into a poly relationship or anything. I wanted to get to know you for Fallon’s sake and found that you weren’t a bad guy,”</p><p>Erik glared at him. Duncan laughed, “A little intense,” he continued, “But you have good taste.”</p><p>They looked over at the kitchen. Fallon was on her tiptoes, rifling through the freezer. The freezer door completely covered her head, but the cute pajama shorts she’d changed into left miles of leg in sight.</p><p>“Obviously,” they said at the same time.</p><p>Their eyes met again. Erik nodded and held a hand out.</p><p>“Yeah, we cool.”</p><p>Smiling, Duncan slapped his palm, “Cool man.”</p><p>After a beat Erik said, “Does this mean you're my first white friend?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Fallon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to the third annual 25 Days of Christmas Challenge! Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The question of the day for Day Fifteen was: Throuple.</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Not edited, so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fallon walked into the work the next morning with a pep in her step and butterflies in her stomach. Her world felt new yet right, unfamiliar and comforting all at once. After settling on yes, they all would like to try a three-way thing, Duncan had given Erik and Fallon space to talk about their relationship on their own.</p><p>Her instincts made her want to plan for every contingency, but Erik pushed back immediately.</p><p>“I’ve finally gotten the chance to be with you Fallon. When I say I got this, <i>know</i> that I got this.”</p><p>So Fallon was trying her best to allow Erik to make the first move. Old anxieties and that recurring dream of standing in a train station for hours waiting on Erik resurfaced. But she did her best to tamp them down. Overthinking and trying to plan for problems that weren’t there would only slow her -them- down. For the first time in a decade and some change, Fallon needed to rely on Erik to do the right thing.</p><p>No pressure. No stress at all.</p><p>She wasn’t going to let what pressure or stress she may or may not be feeling keep her from enjoying her work day. The Events department was three days out from the Toy and Coat Drive, unarguably one of Fallon’s favorite events that the Center threw each year. There were presents and food and games for the children. Every year Fallon knit and crocheted until her fingers cramped to make sure every child that attended left the event with a homemade scarf or beanie.</p><p>Over the years helping Mona manage the Event had turned into Fallon doing the legwork while executing Mona’s “vision”. This year especially, Fallon did all the paperwork and cold calling while Mona barked orders and micromanaged the other planners. Fallon didn’t care about the workload, she just wished she’d get paid for the extra things she did.</p><p>When Fallon made it to the office that morning, she deposited her homemade cookies in the breakroom and cleaned out the fridge. She always arrived before the other planners so the first thirty minutes of the day Fallon was all on her own. She used this time to clean up anything the nightstaff didn’t touch and checked her decorations. Every year Fallon made sure to decorate the Events department but this year she’d been a little lax.</p><p>In her defense Erik’s arrival thoroughly shook up her status quo so aside from a few twinkling lights left over from last year, the office looked drab and boring. For some reason Fallon had a lot of energy and the urge to do more than slap up some lights and bring in some cookies.</p><p>She checked her watch after cleaning the bathroom. Once she saw she had enough time to head down the building’s basement and bring up some decorations, Fallon sped from the room.</p><p>Her coworkers came into the office one by one while Fallon decorated her way around the room. Every cubicle was doused in a layer of white tinsel. Wreaths of holly and pine hung above door frames. Fallon even dug up an artificial tree and trimmed it with the leftovers from the ornament box. </p><p>In the end the office looked like a department store after October 31. It wasn’t up to Fallon’s usual standards but this late in the month the office gets what it gets.</p><p>When she finished the office was filled with planners, other assistants, and Mona. Mona made her way through the paths between cubicles with her arms behind her back. She stared for a long while at the different glass walled offices for senior planners. Fallon didn’t like how long Mona stared at Nicole’s office.</p><p> Nicole wasn’t in today. She’d called out for a doctors appointment after a scare the night before. There wasn’t anything to worry about she’d assured Fallon, but Fallon couldn’t say the same to her. Attracting Mona’s undivided attention was rarely a good thing.</p><p>She didn’t want to assume the worst but Fallon’s worry for her heavily pregnant friend stayed with her the first three hours of the work day.</p><p>Mona eventually went back into her office and Fallon relaxed in her seat. She hadn’t singled anyone out. She didn’t ask Fallon to call Nicole and demand she come in today. Maybe, for once in her life, Mona will leave well enough alone.<br/>
“Fallon,” Mona sang, “Get in here.”</p><p>Fallon didn’t even sigh. At this point it’s not worth it to feign surprise. Plastering a corporate smile on her face, Fallon stood from her desk and made her way to Mona’s office. </p><p>She found Mona at her desk, hands steepled in front of her chin like she was deep in thought. Fallon crossed the room and came to a stop by Mona’s desk. Her eyes scanned the desk and room for any hints towards her move. Aside from the lipstick stained coffee and sleeping desktop, there was nothing to be seen.</p><p>“Have a seat Fallon, I want to chat.” Mona spoke pleasantly. Fallon felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise.</p><p>Haltingly, Fallon took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. When she sat, Mona said nothing for several seconds. Instead she stared at Fallon, tilting her head this way and that way. The butterflies in Fallon’s stomach turned into hornets. Her hands grew sweaty. Gripping the hem of her pencil skirt, Fallon tried to wipe her wet palms against the fabric. </p><p>“Are you happy here Fallon,” Mona began.</p><p>A beat passed.</p><p>“Yes?” Fallon said.</p><p>Mona rolled her eyes, “Are you telling me or asking me?”</p><p>“Yes!” Fallon spoke firmly.</p><p>Sighing, Mona dropped the polite act, “I don’t know if you know this but Nicole has decided to leave our family here to have her baby. She’s decided not to return after her maternity leave.”</p><p>Shock hit Fallon like a brick wall. <i>Nicole was leaving?</i> She hadn’t told Fallon anything while they planned her baby shower. The last two weeks Fallon was thoroughly caught up in Erik and Duncan so maybe she’d missed the memo. But that didn’t seem right. They were best friends...,/p&gt;

</p>
<p>"So I’m going to have a vacancy for a senior planner role and I get a bonus if I promote within the company.”</p><p>Tapping up her computer, Mona woke up the screen. A few seconds of typing later, she turned the monitor around so Fallon could see.</p><p>“I’ve already decided I’m going to promote Wendell from the pool of junior planners.” She met Fallon’s eyes, “That leaves me with another vacancy to fill.”</p><p>Hope gripped Fallon’s heart in a tight, callused fist. She didn’t want to give into it. There’d been opportunities for promotion in the past but Mona had never looked into Fallon once. Even after she kept the department running for two weeks when Mona’s daughter strep throat. None of that moved Mona to promote her, and yet she was doing it now.</p><p>Immediately, Fallon became suspicious.</p><p>“Am I in the running for this position?” she asked, trying her hardest to keep her professionalism intact.</p><p>Mona sat back in her chair, her fingers steepled below her chin, “I like you, Fallon. You show up, do your work, and you don’t burden me with your incompetence. In a way,” she tilted her head to the side and stared off into the distance, “I see a lot of myself in you. Though of course I have a larger bust.”</p><p>Fallon twisted the hem of her skirt in her hands. She couldn’t say a word lest Mona forget her train of thought and rescind the offer she’d still yet to give.</p><p>“Because of your years of loyal service as my assistant I’ll admit I struggled to let you move on to the next level. But now you’re pushing forty-”</p><p>“I just turned 30 this year…” Fallon mumbled under her breath.</p><p>If Mona heard her she didn’t let it stop her from speaking, “And it’s just unseemly to have a woman of advanced age-”</p><p><i>Said the woman pushing sixty.</i> Fallon internally rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Picking up my dry cleaning and making my coffee.” Mona continued, “It’s time for us both to move on.”</p><p>Fallon wanted to remind her that she did more than pick up her dry cleaning and make her coffee. In the end it didn’t seem worth it. All those years were finally paying off, no need to ruin the moment with the truth.</p><p>“I want to give you this job, Fallon, I really do. But given your background…” Mona sighed, “We’ll have to start you at the junior level with a three month probation. Before we do all that though, I’m going to need you to plan an event on your own before the end of the year.”</p><p>Fallon’s smile froze on her face. <i>What did she say?</i></p><p>“I’m sorry I don’t think I understand.” Fallon said, her work voice in full effect. Her hands balled into fists on her thighs.</p><p>“Well I need to make sure you can actually do the job before I give it to you.” Mona spoke as if it were obvious.</p><p>Fallon pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth to stem the flow of anger rising in her throat. Fallon’s spent most of her adult life following Mona, learning everything the woman knows and stepping up when she couldn’t do her job. Hell, Fallon helped plan the Toy and Coat Drive with her. Mona knew damn well Fallon could plan an event.</p><p>Biting back her anger, Fallon smiled wider and said, “Thank you for this opportunity, Mona. May I ask what event you want me to plan? It’s the last three weeks of the month and the other planners have the last of our events for this year.”</p><p>Mona smiled and leaned forward, “That’s why I think we should have a company party.”</p><p>Fallon’s smile dropped, “Like the whole company!”</p><p>Mona smacked her desk, “Yes! With Mr. Stevens on company grounds I want to show him the invaluable work our department does. We’re up for a budget increase next year so I want to show him why we need that money.”</p><p>Mona left her desk to walk towards the wall of bookshelves. She pulled an unmarked binder from its spot and returned to the desk. </p><p>“This is the binder I compiled for our department’s Christmas party. Use this as your base.” with that said, Mona pushed the binder across the table.</p><p>Fallon accepted the binder but she didn’t look at it as she said, “And <i>this</i> will determine whether or not I get the job?”</p><p>Mona turned her monitor around and began typing. Obviously, she was checked out of this conversation, “Yeah that’s it. Oh, and train your replacement. But before you train them you're gonna have to hire them, for me.”</p><p>With a wave of her hand Fallon was dismissed. She left the office dazed. In her arms was the binder that held her future between its covers. Plan a party and get promoted. Had it always been that easy? Should Fallon have asked to plan a party years ago instead of stepping up to help out Mona and the other planners?</p><p>Shaking her head, Fallon put the binder in her work bag. She still had hours left of work and she couldn’t spend them stuck on thoughts that wouldn’t help her.</p><p>Despite her attempt to distract herself, the binder and its contents had a chokehold on her mind. All her happy, butterfly feelings from this morning were long gone now. Typical, honestly. Five minutes with Mona was all it took to lose all her joy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Erik</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for reading and supporting me over the years. This year I’m joined by a few writers so be sure to check out their works as well. I’ll be reblogging them to my blog but you can also find them under the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge tag (look for the posts I’m tagged in)</p><p>The question of the day for Day Sixteen was: What’s Mona up to?</p><p>Once again I’m challenging myself to post a chapter of this fic every day until Christmas on the 25. You are welcome to join me in this challenge. If you do please tag me because I’d love to read your fics.</p><p>Not edited, so all mistakes are my own.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You said you wanted to see me, Mr. Stevens?” Tiffany poked her head around the door, a pink painted smile on her face.</p><p>Without looking away from the files on his desk, Erik said, “Yes, come in.”</p><p>When Fallon showed him the picture Aleena took Erik was distracted by the possibility that all Duncan’s crazy throuple talk might actually happen. Being with Fallon was in sight so he focused on pursuing that rather than get to the more pressing issue: Aleesha.</p><p>Aleesha wasn’t the first woman to want to brag about being with him. The women in his rotation signed NDA’s and the quick, one night stands Erik set up were usually with women who knew nothing about him. Going to Aleesha that night was Erik in a moment of self-destructive weakness. He’d known it was a mistake as soon as he left, but his need to touch someone because he couldn’t touch the woman he loved was too strong.</p><p>And now his moment of weakness was biting him in the ass. Typical.</p><p>Aleesha came to a stop in front of Erik’s desk. He let her stand there without acknowledging her presence. Suppressing a smile at the sound of her shifting in her heels. When asked how he wanted to design his office Erik insisted there were no chairs for guests. His office was a place for him to work. If he wanted to hold meetings they could go to the conference room. </p><p>Erik finally closed the file on his desk, and looked Aleesha in the eyes. The flirty, confident façade on her face cracked open to reveal her anxiety. She twisted her hands right in front of him, unable to sit still under his stare. Erik knew he was imagining it but he liked to imagine he could smell her fear. Good. She should be afraid.</p><p>With three taps to his keyboard, Erik pulled up the screenshots from the group chat. He turned his monitor around so she could see the screen. He said nothing as she absorbed what she saw. Erik reveled in the micro-expressions spreading across her face.</p><p>Her jaw worked while she thought of a lie or an excuse to clear her name. There on her pretty face Erik saw anger, betrayal, and best of all, fear.</p><p>“These messages were revealed to me by an anonymous source. I had them authenticated by the tech department in case you were being framed.”</p><p>“Your Highness, I-”</p><p>Erik held up one finger, “I’m not finished,”</p><p>Aleesha’s mouth shut with a click.</p><p>Erik continued, “What you’ve done is illegal though I’m sure you weren’t thinking of that when you went around bragging about our night together. I could press charges. As an ally to the US government I doubt your legal system will take our case lightly.”</p><p>Aleesha’s pretty brown skin looked ashy. A sheen of sweat shone on her forehead. Her eyes filled, “Your Highness-”</p><p>“Now I’m inclined to leave you to the mercy of my family's lawyers. But I doubt you could afford to defend yourself. Right?” Erik cocked an eyebrow.</p><p>All of a sudden, Aleesha had nothing to say.</p><p>Smirking, Erik slid a packet of papers across his desk, towards her.</p><p>“These documents contain a confession that you have to sigh, read it over if you want. An NDA, and a small severance package.”</p><p>Aleesha picked up the packages, tears now rolling down her face, “Severance?”</p><p>Erik turned his monitor back to his side of the desk and reopened his file. Without looking at Aleesha he said, “You don’t think you’d be allowed to continue working here do you?”</p><p>Aleesha sobbed, “Your Highness, please! It was a mistake. I didn’t mean to-”</p><p>Erik sighed, “You’re still here? You can see yourself out already. Security will escort you from the building once you’ve cleared your desk.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For updates, memes, and more follow my blog <a href="https://teakturn.tumblr.com/">Teakturn</a> on tumblr.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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